


To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea



Series: Timey Wimey Stuff [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Family, Gen, Kid Fic, Not Canon Compliant, Time Travel, Timey-Wimey, reunion story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-18 03:14:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 24,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4690130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumendea/pseuds/Lumendea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Martha leaves the TARDIS a former companion returns to it and Rose Tyler has a surprise in store for the Doctor. Apparently with the help of time travel, some clever children and a brilliant Time Lord the impossible really isn't. This story follows the present Doctor and Rose as well as them and their future family. Two time lines to keep track of, have fun!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Guess Who I

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter One: Guess Who I

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

AN: This is another older story that I am cleaning up and expanding a bit. This is no longer canon because… well you’ll find out soon enough. My first book is now available on amazon. If you like my stuff please go and take a look at The Iron Realm by J.M. Briggs! Yes I’m going to be shameless about this for a bit.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

The TARDIS was strangely still and silent while the Doctor leaned against the console staring at the door. Martha had just left him with a smile on her face, a rather pained one, but a smile and a promise to see him again. He wasn’t sure how to react to her parting words. She’d been through so much and he wasn’t blind, he’d been around humans far too long not to notice her crush on him.

 

There was guilt of course, he knew he’d be haunted by that in regards to Martha for a long time. She’d been wonderful and brilliant and he’d destroyed her life. Not on purpose and not at first, but he knew that using Rose’s name was a buffer between them had been a touch cruel. He’d know that he was selfish keeping her around to hold the loneliness and silence back. It was for the best that Martha leave now. She’d been through so much and her family could help her heal, they could support her in a way that he just couldn’t. He understood why she needed to go.

 

Shaking his head, the Doctor reminded himself that this was just how it was going to be. The curse of the last of the Time Lords, his punishment for saving the universe from his own corrupt species. Harsh and oh so fitting. He sighed and turned around, hunching over the TARDIS controls and resisting the small desire inside his chest to cry. He hadn’t cried since… he wasn’t going to think about that right now. Reaching for one of the levers with a plan to head to the Eye of Orion, the Doctor was unprepared for the door to swing open.

 

Straightening up, he turned to look and froze as his eyes fell on Rose Tyler standing in the doorway of the TARDIS, sunlight pouring in behind her. His mouth went slack as Rose grinned at him, her tongue slipping over her teeth in that familiar way. For a moment he couldn’t move, couldn’t breath and felt like both of his hearts had simply stopped beating. Then he sucked in a deep breath and noted that she was still there.

 

Closing his eyes, the Doctor shook his head before opening them again only to find that the Rose shaped figment of his imagination had closed the TARDIS door and was walking up the ramp toward him. He must still be suffering from the mental shock of the Master’s death he decided. All those months locked up in that little cage and trying to relieve happier memories must still be having an impact on him. Rose stopped just a few meters away and smiled at him, she seemed very amused by his disbelief and outright shock. Though he thought he could see a hint of nervousness in those big brown eyes, like she was moments away from crying or being overwhelmed.

 

“Doctor wasn’t there something you were trying to say to me?” Rose asked coyly with a growing smile. The Doctor blinked at her and she took a step forward and added, “Wasn’t there something you didn’t finish saying at Bad Wolf Bay?”

 

It was too much. As he breathed in the Doctor caught a whiff of Rose’s familiar scent, vanilla mixed with a hint of strawberry from her favorite shampoo. Stumbling back, the Doctor rubbed his eyes and tried to regain control of his senses.

 

“I’ve got to get some sleep,” he said to himself and partially to the figment of his imagination.

He turned away and began setting the controls, noticing in the corner of his eye that Rose was looking at him in shock. Her expression became a little hurt and his heart clenched painfully at the sight, but he expression faded quickly as a look of pained realization took its place. Her eyes softened and her smile returned, though very sad this time. Then she stepped forward, reached out and pinched him on the arm, hard.

 

“That hurt! What was that for?” the Doctor snapped, jumping away from and rubbing his arm with a slightly pout.

 

“You seem to think I’m all in your head Doctor,” Rose replied crossing her arms and giving him a pointed look. “Figured it was a good way of disproving that.”

 

“Rose is in the other universe, this is just a reaction to the release of all the stress from the year that never was and being alone again,” the Doctor almost growled. “Shouldn’t have thought about her so much while locked up. That’s it, that’s all this is. There is no way to cross the void so therefore you are just an illusion in my mind.” He rubbed his arm thoughtfully and muttered, “One that inflicts pain apparently.”

 

There was another conflicted expression on Rose’s face. It was amused, sad, frustrated, happy and overwhelmed all at once. Her brown eyes were slightly moist with unshed tears even as she kept smiling softly at him. Then she shook her head fondly, sighed and walked over to the captain’s chair where she sat down and made herself comfortable. The Doctor watched her movements carefully and they regarded each other from across the console. It was an odd standoff as he tried to understand why his brain was doing this to him.

 

“Suppose . . . ” Rose offered with a soft nervous look and a blush.

 

“Suppose?” The Doctor pressed when she trailed off, putting his hands in his pockets and leaning back against the console to keep himself from trying to hug her. Knowing that she was just a figment of his imagination helped him control himself, but a part of him still just wanted to sweep her up in a hug.

 

“Suppose in the future, your future self found a way to cross the void but you already had a Rose Tyler traveling with you that you met up with in your past. You’d then have to send the younger Rose Tyler from the other universe back to the past to meet you when you remember meeting her again,” Rose explained carefully. The Doctor didn’t say anything causing Rose to tighten her fists and huff, “Oh come on you’re a bloody Time Lord surely you can figure this out!”

 

The Doctor was staring at her again with a cautious look for a long moment. Then he took a step towards her causing Rose’s gaze to soften a bit as she chuckled. Stopping in front of her, the Doctor brought his hands out of his pockets and began to reach towards her. He stopped and pulled his hand back with a thick swallow.

 

“Okay, so let’s say that maybe just maybe you’re not a hallucination but then how?”

 

This caused Rose to blush and drop her eyes down to her feet. After a moment, she answered him,

“Multiple Time Lords can open a passage between universes.”

 

The Doctor frowned and stood again, his eyes darkening as he remembered the recent events that resulted in the Master’s death.

 

“I’m the only Time Lord,” he reminded her quietly as his eyes became fixed on his coat hanging over the railing.

 

“You won’t always be,” Rose said softly still looking at her feet, causing the Doctor to look back at her. “In the future you and your children are able to open a stable doorway to the alternate universe.”

 

“Time Lords can’t have children with other species,” the Doctor replied firmly, shaking his head and fighting back images that shouldn’t be in his head.

 

Rose still wouldn’t look at him, making the Doctor inch a little closer, this hallucination was making a tiny bit of sense. Swallowing Rose played with her long hair nervously. The Doctor’s eyes widened and a little stubborn spark of hope began to zing around in his chest.

 

“Apparently you can if the mother has carried the Time Vortex, a spark of that makes it possible in the future for me-her to give birth to Gallifreians and lengthens her life span a couple hundred years,” Rose explained in a rush as her cheeks reddened.

 

The Doctor was perfectly still as he rolled it over and over in his head. It made sense even if it violated the First Law of Time in crossing his own time line although technically he hadn’t, Rose had but not him. She was the only one who had met herself and Rose would be careful, her experience with the Reapers guaranteed that. A grin spread over his face slowly as he focused again on the embarrassed Rose Tyler.

 

“So you’re a gift from the future to the past.”

 

Rose looked up at him sharply, looking a bit irritated at the comparison, but she smiled upon seeing his grin. The Doctor stepped closer to her and after of hesitation reached for her. His hearts raced fearfully that she might vanish and this was some cruel trick of his mind or worse a trick of the Master’s as some final revenge. Then his fingers brushed her warm skin and it was suddenly easier to breathe. Rose smiled and brought her own hand up and placed her palm against his cheek. If tears were gathering in his eyes the Doctor didn’t care and could Rose’s own eyes becoming teary. His free hand moved automatically to grip Rose’s free hand tightly. He pulled Rose up so she was only inches from him.

 

“Now then Doctor, I believe you have a sentence to finish,” Rose reminded him with a watery smile.

 

“Quite right too,” the Doctor breathed, beaming at her like a loon. “Rose Tyler I love you.”

 

Then the Doctor did the only thing he felt was proper in the current situation: he snogged Rose Tyler.


	2. From a Future Point of View I

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Two: From a Future Point of View I

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

AN: The story is going to alternate each chapter, some will deal with the present while others will deal with the future.

 

…………………..

 

Rose Tyler pulled her long blond hair back to keep it out of her infant daughter’s hands. It was a reflexive action at this point whenever the child tried to play with her hair. As much as she adored her children, they had a nasty tendency to tie her hair up in knots if given a chance. In response her daughter tried to nibble at her fingers and gurgled in irritation when Rose pulled those away as well.

 

Across the TARDIS control room the Doctor laughed cheerfully at the display. Rose looked over at her husband with a stern look though she couldn’t quite hold back her smile.

 

“Diana has your oral fixation,” Rose informed him serious, but he merely grinned at her for a moment before looking back down at the controls.

 

“Today’s the day,” he announced leaning against the console. “Everything is perfect for it, Alex, Abby and James are ready to help me open the door.” He ran his hand through his hair and looked over at Rose with wide eyes and said, “I’ve wondered for years what this was like.”

 

“Trust me it will be most exciting for me- I mean her,” Rose replied with a small shrug though she could feel the excitement in the air.

 

“Now you know why people shouldn’t cross their own time lines, throws the personal pronouns all out of place.” The Doctor moved around the TARDIS controls, not bothering to conceal his excitement. “There’s a reason Gallifreian had special pronouns to denote past, far past, very far past, present, future, far future and very far future versions of the same person. Absolutely necessary with a time traveling culture.”

 

Shaking her head, Rose tucked another stray piece of hair behind her ear as she cooed gently to her three month old, brown haired and brown eyed daughter. The tiny girl looked up at her mother with large and soft eyes that sparkled with interest as she mother began to whisper softly to her what they were going to do today. Her husband grinned at the picture they made from across the TARDIS, savoring the brief calm. It was shattered a moment later by the twins Alex and Abby running into the control room.

 

At nine earth years the two brunettes were feared throughout the universe for their ability to tear anything apart. Unfortunately for their father they weren’t so good at putting things back together yet and the task of putting things back together often fell to him. They were born within minutes of each other, both shifting the clocks in the room upon entering the world to their father’s joy. Rose adored their big blue eyes that she could only guess they inherited from their father’s earlier incarnation; neither had inherited the ears to their father’s relief. Alex rushed up to his father to watch the Doctor putting the coordinates into the TARDIS controls while Abby joined her mother and baby sister.

 

Seven year old James stopped in the doorway, trying to decide which group to join as he looked between his brother and father talking excitedly and his mother and sisters. Catching his mother’s eyes with his own big brown ones, he beamed up at her and walked over to her. Rose smiled and ran a hand through her son’s blond hair, careful to keep Diana balanced in her arms. Abby smiled in greeting to her younger brother before rushing off to join their dad and her twin. The Doctor beamed at the family chaos and pointed out the different controls they would be using for their trip today across the void.

 

“So we get to meet grandma,” Alex asked from beside the Doctor as he eyed the TARDIS screen thoughtfully.

 

 

Rose laughed out loud at the expression on the Doctor’s face as he rubbed his cheek gently. In her arms Diana looked up at her with confused and wide eyes, no doubt wondering what had been said to terrify her father so much. The whole exchange made Rose want to laugh even louder.

 

“This is going to hurt,” the Doctor muttered, throwing Rose a mock glare.

 

Abby blinked up at her face in surprise before her face tightened into what her father called her thinking face. She glanced over the controls, no doubt looking for anything wrong that could cause them problems. Not finding the source of potential harm she looked up at her father with a concerned and determined expression.

 

“Why is it going to hurt Daddy? How can we stop it from happening?”

 

The Doctor looked up at Rose and realized that she wasn’t going to help him on this one. Alex looked up at his father, crossing his arms across his chest. Unlike his sister Alex seemed to have sorted out the potential source of pain that their father was concerned about and looked torn between concern and amusement.

 

“Doesn’t she like you?” Alex asked with a tilt of his head.

 

“Well this is going to be a bit of a shock,” their Doctor replied with a forced smile. “Your grandmother was never very good with the theory of time travel.” The Doctor knelt down to be at level with his children and motioned for James to join them. His three eldest children stared at him waiting eagerly. “Today you three are going to help me take the TARDIS into one of the alternate universes I’ve taught you about.”

 

“I thought the wall sealed around them,” Abby commented with a frown.

 

Her father beamed at her memory and nodded before he added, “They did but a long time ago before any of you were born your mother lived in one of those alternate worlds.”

 

The Doctor held back a laugh as three jaws dropped and they spun to look at their mother. Rose smiled at the three identical expression of shock and awe in front of her, enjoying it as a rare moment when her children all truly looked their ages.

 

“Mum is from a parallel world?!” Alex asked in shock turning to look at his father who nodded.

 

“Yes Alex,” he answered calmly, calling their attention back to him, “And today we have to go pick up your Mum when she was younger.”

 

“Why?” James asked tilting his head to the side as a few blond bangs fell into his face. The Doctor chuckled, brushing them out of his sons’ eyes.

 

“Because if Mum isn’t in this world she won’t marry Daddy and have us,” Abby answered with a toss of her brown braids, “It’s a paradox unless we bring her here, right Dad?”

 

“Exactly Abigail!” Abby grinned at her father’s praise giving her twin a slight gloating look.

 

Alex was silent for a long moment before catching his father’s attention. His eyes were narrowed and he had a small furrow between his eyes.

 

“But what if she won’t come Dad?” Alex asked very seriously. “I mean are you just going to tell her that she has to come here or else it causes a paradox.”

 

Abby rolled her eyes at her elder brother as she pointed across the room at her mother.

 

“She’s already done it,” Abby pointed out with a smug look, “Mummy is here now so she has to come.”

 

The Doctor nodded to his twins with a proud expression as he explained, “You’re both right, if Rose doesn’t come back with us then there would be a paradox, but your Mum remembers us coming to get her. This is one of those wonderful temporal events where every circles back on itself.”

 

Rose laughed as her children again turned to look at her in shock and said, “I told you we should have explained this before today.”

 

“And had them asking constant questions about when we could go?” the Doctor countered with a mock shudder as he stood up.

 

Rose laughed at the Doctor’s glare and stood up as Diana fell asleep again. Leaving the control room, she headed down the TARDIS corridor to wake up their youngest son Sam and put Diana down for a short nap. She smiled softly as she heard the voices of her husband and children behind her. The memory of this day was one of the most.... interesting memories she had from her youth, she had no doubt living it from this point of view would be even more..... interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like my stuff please consider buying my first ebook The Iron Realm by J.M. Briggs available on amazon and soon the nook. The next two sequels are already written and will be following soon.


	3. Guess Who II

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Three: Guess Who II

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story.

 

AN: My new fiction series The Iron Soul now has a facebook page!

……………..

 

The Doctor was usually a man who asked a lot of questions right at the moment they came up. True he hadn’t always reacted that way, it was something that varied based on his current life and personality. Sometimes he preferred to keep things close, to hide the direction of his thoughts and not let on what he’d noticed. Sometimes he relied on deduction only, asking questions only when he had absolutely no choice. This body however had a raw childish energy that kept his enemies guessing all on its own and made it easy to shout off a long series of questions and get answers in return.

 

The point was that this time around he had no problem asking questions. And he usually wasn’t the sort that was distracted from the problem at hand. Okay yes when he’d first been settling into this body there’d been the werewolf that distracted him and sometimes he’d had issues with controlling his new quirks. But now that he’d settled in a bit more he wasn’t so easily distracted, but he’d been very distracted for the last few hours.

 

Just thinking about said distraction made him grin wider than he had in the five years since saying goodbye to Rose Tyler. It was an insane giddy feeling in his chest that was completely unfamiliar. Well not completely unfamiliar, he’d had plenty of happy moments and warm memories, but the consistent hum of this happiness beneath his skin was beyond distracting. So it was only now that the Time Lord pondered various questions in his head as he smiled at the sleeping Rose Tyler. He could only see the very top of her blonde head underneath the dark blue duvet, but he could feel her warmth curled up against his side.

 

There were dozens of questions rattling around in his head: had he regenerated by the time he found her again, how many years in the future would they be making the crossing, how many children did they have, what were their names, what did they look like, were their children time sensitive and how exactly had they opened a doorway into the other universe? Then there were the questions about what had happened when they arrived to get Rose, had she been happy or overwhelmed by the idea of having children with him? How had her mother reacted to the arrive of a TARDIS full of mini Time Lords and an older version of her daughter? He almost woke Rose up to ask the last one as the possible reactions of Jackie Tyler ran through his head, somehow he didn’t think the woman would take well to the complex issues of crossing time lines. Although presenting her with grandchildren may have saved him from being slapped, but he supposed Jackie may have still been too angry. Still he had missed her and was pretty sure that he’d keep on missing her until they returned to the other universe.

 

Then his mind jumped right back to trying to imagine what his children with Rose would be like, what would they act like, would they be more Time Lord or human although, given that they opened a door to an alternate universe he guessed more Time Lord. Glancing back down at Rose, he grinned as he considered when he could expect to become a dad again. It should have been a terrifying thought, but it wasn’t somehow. Maybe the knowledge that his future little family would be alright was keeping the panic at bay. He had a future again that didn’t just include jumping around different planets, saving the universe with the situation called for it and picking up stray humans to show off for. That thought of course lead him to wondering what Rose herself would be like further into the future. She’d always been brilliant in her own compassionate and clever way. He hoped that she was happy with the knowledge that she’d live a good five hundred or so years. He certainly didn’t want her to feel burdened by that knowledge. If he was careful in the next three regenerations he would probably just about match her in life span.

 

Hearing Rose stir next to him, he snapped out of his random thoughts and looked down at her. Small fingers peeked out over the edge of the duvet and tugged it down. Rose sighed softly and opened her large brown eyes, meeting his own as he gazed happily down at her. The Doctor grinned as a soft smile spread over her face just for him and fought to urge to hug her tightly again.

 

“Morning,” Rose muttered, still waking up as she stretched out her back and arms next to him.

 

“Actually it is night you slept through the day, granted we didn’t get any sleep the other night,” the Doctor remarked with a grin.

 

Rose raised an eyebrow at him, smiling and letting her tongue slide over her teeth.

 

“We’re in the TARDIS, no real day or night or so you told me,” Rose replied with a contented smile as she lounged on her side of the bed and watched him.

 

“Did I tell you that?” The Doctor asked, pausing in thought before grinning, “So I did, long time ago though.”

 

Rolling over properly Rose snuggled into the bed again, but kept watching the Doctor. The duvet slipped off her shoulder and distracted him for a long moment. Rose’s breathing was even and she looked so happy that for a moment he was happy just to reach over and lay his hand over hers. Rose gave him a soft smile and curled closer to him, tangling their legs together.

 

“Go on then Doctor,” Rose said happily.

 

The Doctor blinked at her statement and Rose laughed.

 

“I know you’ve got hundreds of questions swimming about in that head of yours and you’re just burning to ask them,” Rose replied to his unspoken question with an amused little smile. “I’ll answer the ones I can.”

 

 

 

 

Having been given a chance to ask, the Doctor was suddenly unsure of what to ask first. His mouth opened and closed uselessly for a moment as he tried to get his usually brilliant brain to work. Rose watched him with a widening smile and was holding back a giggle at his struggle. Then she began talking in a warm voice, turning her hand so she could squeeze his.

 

 

“For me it has been exactly one year since Bad Wolf Bay. I had taken the day off to spend with my family; Mum had a boy by the way. His name is Tony, not sure where they got that name. He’s a good boy, I think you’d like him.” Rose paused for a moment and licked her lips before she continued. “We were sitting down to breakfast when we heard the TARDIS, you or rather the future you came out.” Rose grinned, “I didn’t realize he was from later in the time line at that point.”

 

“So same body, I haven’t regenerated by then?” The Doctor asked, leaning forward slightly.

 

“I think you’re safe for a bit,” Rose assured him patiently.

 

“Good I like this body, young and strong. Good for the life we lead,” the Doctor announced with a grin.

 

“I like it too,” Rose informed him, shifting closer to the Doctor and giving him a soft kiss. “You’ve got great hair.”

 

“I gathered that last night,” the Doctor teased with a grin and a waggle of his eyebrows. “And I knew you liked the hair.”

 

“I see your ego survived intact without me,” Rose teased before stealing another kiss that he was all too happy to give her.

 

For a few moments there were no words and the Doctor contented himself with just holding Rose closed. But then, she pulled back and settled back down on her pillow and looked up at him.

 

“It happened so fast, it is a bit of blur really. Mum really freaked out over the whole thing. Dad and Mickey were just as confused about what was happening. Thankfully Mickey picked up on the closed time loop thing pretty quick and helped calm Mum down once he stopped laughing,” Rose informed him with a chuckle. “He says hi by the way But Mum was just… she was really funny in hindsight.”

 

“I figured that one, been imagining Jackie’s reaction,” the Doctor confessed as he settled down beside Rose.

 

“Well she did meet her grandchildren before I ever had them and had two versions of me walking about the house. It was strange even by my standards.”

 

The Doctor just grinned to keep from making some comment about Jackie. Rose gave him a knowing look, but then she swallowed and her face fell slightly.

 

“My future self was really happy to see Mum and the family since...,” Rose trailed off but the Doctor nodded in understanding.

 

“Since you can’t see them now until the kids reach that age and are able to help cross the universes,” the Doctor finished gently as he reached out and cupped her cheek.

 

“Yeah,” Rose managed to reply. “I feel a bit bad. She, my older self, was so happy to spend time with them and promised to come and visit soon, but all I wanted to do was get going. It was… difficult.”

 

“I’m sorry,” the Doctor whispered leaning forward to kiss her forehead. “If I could make this easier for you I would, but I’m beyond grateful that you still chose me.”

 

“I’ll always chose you,” Rose whispered. “I made that choice a long time ago and I’m never gonna leave you.”

 

The Doctor kissed her again and pulled her closer to him. He could feel Rose shaking a bit and stayed still and silent, just trying to be a support for her to lean on. Whatever she was feeling passed quickly and she kissed his neck softly before humming in contentment.

 

“So how many kids?” the Doctor whispered into her ear, earning him a bright happy laugh in response.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like my writing style then check out my first novel The Iron Realm by J.M. Briggs, book one of the Iron Soul series which is available on amazon and Barnes and Noble.


	4. From a Future Point of View II

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Four: From a Future Point of View II

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

AN: Back to the future!!!! It is not a paradox!!! It is just time travel you know a big ball of stuff!

 

……………

 

Rose Tyler leaned against the TARDIS hallway and took a deep breath to relax. Around her the sounds seemed to become muted and she said a silent thank you to the TARDIS for giving her a moment. She had been unable to sleep last night because of all the excitement and the emotions churning in her gut. It was silly, but she nervous about completing the time loop despite knowing that it had to happen and knowing that everything would be fine. Crossing your own time line was dangerous, but doing it with five kids as well was almost suicide.

 

The thought made her laugh as she dwelled on some memories of what was to come, her mother’s face, Pete’s reaction and the sight of her older self, a position she now filled. A soft chuckle escaped her even as the nervousness in her stomach spread into her chest making it difficult to breathe for a moment. After so many years of traveling in time Rose was aware of all the little things that could wrong with this crazy plan and it did not help her calm down. She supposed this is what she got for marrying a Time Lord, especially one who didn’t care much for rules. Maybe this was some of punishment from the universe for helping the Doctor reproduce.

 

Alex and Abby were dashing between their rooms tinkering with some gadget that their father had given them after their last trash planet expedition. Rose usually couldn’t keep track of just what their father was teaching them at this point. It was rather difficult when your child technically had achieved the same level of education as you when they were seven.

 

Abby had built recently built the replacement flux control for the TARDIS to her father’s pride and Alex had created more than one time bubble devices. Rose was more inclined to approve of Abby’s actions which at least were always taken to her father to be shown off unlike the questionable things that built up in Alex’s room. She could hear James in his room, moving things about with small thuds and bumping noises. Rose hoped he was clearing it and getting ready for the jump.

 

The Doctor had finally calmed the kids down and was making the final adjustments before four Time Lords would use their telepathic link with the TARDIS to power her through the void and materialize in the alternate world. A strange sense of calm and apprehension filled the TARDIS as everyone wondered just what was going to happen. This was the side of things that Rose hadn’t seen her first time around and she knew that she should be interested, but her mind couldn’t seem to stop fixating on what might go wrong.

 

A crash made she sigh as she stood and followed the source of the noise to Alex’s room. Part of her was grateful for the distraction even as the mother in her braced itself for what she might find. Pushing open the door she wasn’t surprised to find her twins standing in the middle of the room with the remains of some piece of technology around them. Small bits of circuitry, a few cables and large pieces of casing were scattered about them though it didn’t look very advanced. Though Rose knew that retro looking things could be amongst the most dangerous.

 

“What was that?” Rose asked with a touch of concern as she fixed her brown eyes on her children and called on her mum voice.

 

She told the Doctor not to give them anything dangerous but their definitions of dangerous weren’t always in agreement. Though he did seem to have learned after the incident with the Troevic torch two years ago, even he had helped with the lecture and enforced the punishment that tme.

 

“Part of a computer from the 1970s,” Alex said running a hand through his brown hair nervously.

“We wanted to see if we could upgrade it ourselves, but it was heavier than was expected.”

 

“What am I going to do with you two?” Rose asked as she leaned against the doorframe, trying not to smile.

 

“Love us and forgive us,” The twins answered at the same time with huge innocent smiles.

 

“You sound like your father when you say that,” Rose said with a sigh as she shook her head, “Are you both ready for the jump?” Both twins jumped to attention and nodded as their grins widened.

 

……………….

 

“Daddy how can Mummy meet herself without a paradox?”

 

The Doctor blinked and looked down into the big brown eyes of his son youngest son Sam who was sitting on the TARDIS floor next to him with his teddy bear. Hugging his bear gently, Sam seemed content to watch his father move around the TARDIS console as he awaited an answer to his question. The Doctor smiled as he continued entering the information into the TARDIS to make sure they ended up in the proper alternate universe. He had to force himself to focus as that oh so familiar parental desire to scoop up his baby and hug him made itself know.

 

 

“That’s a very very very good question Sammy. Why do you think it would be a paradox?” the Doctor questioned warmly, pleased that his youngest son was already thinking of things in terms of paradox. It boded well for his future. “Any reason in particular?”

 

“Cause when Mummy was young you said she made a paradox when she tried to change the past and crossed over her own time line,” Sam answered with a look of great concentration on his face. “She made physical contact with herself creating the question of how she could be in the same place twice.”

 

Flipping the final lever, the Doctor made sure everything was stable before he looked back at Sam. He nodded to his son and crouched down so he was closer to his child’s level. Reaching out he brushed a few stray strands of blond hair out of the boy’s eyes.

 

“That’s right Sammy good memory,” the Doctor told his son affectionately. The four year old beamed at his father as the Doctor ruffled his blond hair. “Well your mother is older now and knows all about the ins and outs of time travel,” the Doctor said with a hint of pride. “The reason us going to the past to get her isn’t a paradox is because it is preserving your mother’s time line, rather than changing it. If we didn’t go then you and your brothers and sisters would be the paradox and probably fade away like in Back to the Future. Your mum remembers all this, she remembers being the younger Rose that we’re going to get.”

 

“So it is okay to cross the past and the future?”

 

“Only if you’re very very careful, same reason we can move around in time cause I’m sure at one point or another we’ve run into one of your human ancestors and not known it. Humans breed so quickly and forget so easily that it wouldn’t be a surprise to learn that you kids have met other relatives before. As for what going to happen today, your brilliant mum knows just what to say, she’s lived it from the other view point. Understand?”

 

The little Time Lord frowned as he thought about it but then shook his head. “Nope, sorry Daddy,” the child admitted in an embarrassed little voice.

 

The Doctor paused trying to think how he could explain it to a four year old. Sure it was a highly advanced four year old who could use words like paradox correctly, but his time sense was still developing. Finally he dug into his pockets and gave a small cheer as he found a piece of string. He held it up in front of Sam with a flourish.

 

“This is your mum’s time line,” he announced with a wide smile. “Today we are making it loop,” the Doctor said as he turned the thread into a loop so it touched in one place. “Your mum’s time line is going to touch, but not blend. From this point at both sides you can still move forward in time,” the Doctor explained as he traced the two sides of the loop. “The younger Rose will grow up to be your mum and your mum will keep going forward. A paradox blends the time line making it impossible for one side to move forward and become the second point. That is why it is a paradox.”

 

“I get it!” Sammy cheered, “Big ball of wibbly wobbly time-y wimey stuff.”

 

The Doctor blinked and then laughed, scooping up his son in his arms.

 

“Where’d you hear that?”

 

“Aunt Martha,” Sam replied with a sweet fond smile.

 

“Sounds about right.”

 

Nodding the Doctor picked up his son with one arm and a smile. He rested the boy against his side to keep one of his hands free and looked over the controls again. While he knew what had to happen the Doctor couldn’t deny the small flutter of worry in his chest. His entire life depended on this going right, on them getting through to the other universe and Rose coming back to him. If something went wrong then he’d watch time be rewritten as Rose faded away followed by their children. They were Time Lords, but even they wouldn’t remain through their lives becoming a paradox. He took a deep breath to calm down, reminding himself that this was all going to go just fine. Briefly he regretted not talking more with Rose this morning, if he was this nervous he was certain that she was too.

 

He hit one of the buttons turning on the comm system that he had finally fixed when their third child was born and Rose complained about not being able to keep track of them all. Course all the kids wore trackers courtesy of their Uncle Jack at Torchwood but Rose didn’t know that. he wasn’t sure how she’d feel about tagging the kids, but couldn’t stand the idea of not being able to find his children. The Doctor just hoped the kids wouldn’t ever get in enough trouble for it to come up. It would be an uncomfortable conversation and he knew that Jack would blame the whole thing on him.

 

Leaning closer to the comm, the Doctor cleared his throat and announced, “Would the crew of the TARDIS report to the control room, we have a void jump to make.” The Doctor switched off the comm and sighed, “Won’t Jackie be surprised.” He rubbed his face gently and sighed again as his children ran into the room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to check out The Iron Realm by J.M. Briggs on amazon and Barnes and Nobles. If there's good interest and I can recover some of my costs then I can start looking at print copies.


	5. Guess Who III

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Five: Guess Who III

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

………………….

 

The Doctor tapped his foot on the TARDIS floor impatiently as he waited for Rose in the console room. He ran a hand through his already messy hair and tugged on his favorite blue tie which suddenly felt far too confining. Glancing towards the doorway, the Doctor lamented that this new development in their relationship seemed to make her take even longer to get ready. Granted he hadn’t helped earlier, not really keen of the idea of her putting on clothes again until she had finally kicked him out of his own room. And she said he was the rude one.

 

Although it was more like their room now. He certainly liked that idea even if he didn’t need as sleep as her. The TARDIS had already taken the liberty of moving Rose’s things from her old room. He’d been more than a bit surprised to find many of the things that he’d locked away suddenly scattered about his room when he and Rose had stumbled out of the shower earlier that day. It was a change that hadn’t even crossed his mind yet, but he’d managed to stay calm even when Rose had turned to give him a curious look.

 

Rose’s footfalls in the hallway made the Doctor look towards the door. For a moment he grinned, simply enjoying the familiar sound of Rose in her trainers. Then she stepped into the console room in jeans and a shirt he knew he’d seen a few times in the past. It felt like he was suddenly in his own past on one of those wonderful adventure days, but he was in the present and the Doctor smiled at the very idea. Rose returned the grin with a brilliant smile of her own. He held out a hand and Rose instantly cross the console room to take it.

 

“Right then.” Rose said after a moment of them grinning like a pair of idiots. “Let’s see you wanted to know about the kids.” The Doctor nodded, leaning against the console as Rose sat down, still holding his hand. “Well there are five of them at that point, three boys and two girls.” The Doctor couldn’t stop his smile from widening, Rose smiled at his happiness and continued. “The first two are twins. Alex and Abby,” Rose frowned and added, “They have Gallifreyian names that I can’t pronounce but they shorten to Alexander and Abigail. At the point you came or will come to get me those two are nine.” Seeing the grin on the Doctor face Rose nudged him and sternly said, “Don’t be so pleased with yourself, those two are going to be a handful.”

 

“Yeah Rose but twins, a boy and girl that’s just brilliant for our first try.” He waggled his eyebrows and even the mock glare Rose gave him couldn’t stop his grin. “Besides,” the Doctor added more seriously. “Twins wouldn’t have happened on Gallifrey. One child at a time in a House was the rule and usually no where near the same age.”

 

Rose’s expression softened and she squeezed his hand warmly. He realized that he’d never spoken of Gallifrey that easily before and breathed out slowly. Rose gave a moment of silence to gather his thoughts before she tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and gave him a little smile. She released his hand after another squeeze and eased further back in the chair.

 

“Well you don’t sleep much so you can enjoy their late night crying company,” she informed him with a smirk. “And I can stay in bed and get all my ‘human sleep’ that you always go on about.”

 

“I can handle that.” The Doctor remarked, shoving his hands in his pockets. Rose blinked and smiled slowly but then teased,

 

“When did you embrace being domestic, I thought it was against your personal rules,” Rose asked with a soft blush and honest look of surprise. “Not that I mind course, its just a bit weird.”

 

The Doctor straightened up and said very seriously, “Well first I love to break the rules and second,” Leaning forward he kissed Rose very softly and then whispered, “The rule doesn’t apply if you’re in love.”

 

It was a sappy thing to say and he knew that more than a few of his past lives would have been rolling their eyes at him or threatening to hit him with something, but the look on Rose’s face was completely worth it. He leaned into kiss her again but the TARDIS gave a violent lurch sending them both crashing to the floor. Glancing at Rose to make sure she was okay, the Doctor jumped up to check the controls as the cloister bells began to chime from deep inside the TARDIS. Pulling herself up, Rose grabbed the rail and moved to stay out of the Doctor’s way.

 

“What’s wrong Doctor?!” Rose asked, all traces of her happiness replaced by worry and focused determination.

 

“The TARDIS has picked up a serious problem and is taking us there!” the Doctor shouted back.

 

“Where?” Rose called as the TARDIS finally began to stabilize even as they spun through the vortex.

 

The Doctor moved along the console and checked the coordinates. He gave a great sigh and shook his head. Turning to Rose, the urgency in his expression fell away and he shrugged despite the ominous ringing of the cloister bell deep in the TARDIS.

 

“Where else, Rose? Cardiff.”

 

 

They both tightened their grip on the rails as the TARDIS set down with a shudder. For a moment neither of them move. The lights flickered and dimmed for a moment before returning to normal. They exchanged a quick glance before they moved.

 

“Blimey.” Rose yelped as she pulled herself up using the railing. The Doctor also stood and looked at her in concern. Rose smiled at the attention and assured, “Nothing broken.”

 

Holding out his hand, the Doctor grinned at her which Rose returned as she took his hand. Pulling her next to him, they looked at the screen to see the Millennium Centre outside the TARDIS. It was late in the evening so only a few people were around. There didn’t seem to be anything amiss and everyone on the screen seemed very calm even if they were moving quickly to avoid the cold winter wind.

 

“Any idea what pulled us here?” Rose asked with a frown as she kept looking at the screen waiting for something to happen.

 

The Doctor grimaced and slowly nodded as he checked the date. “December 15th 2008.”

 

Rose raised an eyebrow at his reaction and waited for a moment, but he said nothing. Touching his arm gently Rose pressed him, “Doctor?”

 

The Doctor turned to her with a slightly guilty look on his face.

 

“Oh Rose there’s something I need to tell you.” Rose narrowed her eyes and nodded but didn’t let go of his hands. “Jack is alive.”

 

He watched as she blinked in confusion as the words moved through her mind. He could see the moment when she realized what he might be saying as a flicker of hope lit up her eyes. It made his hearts hurt to her hesitate excitement building.

 

“Jack Harkness?” Rose asked in a soft almost childlike voice. “Our Jack?” The Doctor nodded and Rose gaped at him for a moment before asking, “How can he be alive?”

 

“When you had the Time Vortex in you Rose you brought him back,” the Doctor explained with a sigh of resignation. Rose started to smile even as her eyes teared up. “But you couldn’t control it, you brought him back forever so he jumped back through time to the twentieth century. He’s lived several centuries now.”

 

“I- oh my god,” Rose breathed lowering her eyes. “He must hate me,” she whispered with a heartbroken look on her face. The Doctor cupped her cheeks hoping to comfort her and not for the first time feeling slightly vindacted about his decision to get away from Jack. “Why didn’t we go back for him?” Rose asked him dejectedly, “I mean if you knew he was alive-”

 

“I couldn’t.” The Doctor replied with a sigh, “Jack well he’s wrong.” He groaned and ran a hand through his hair while Rose stared at him in shock. “Being near him is hard, he is a fact in the time line and that’s not supposed to happen.”

 

Rose stepped back and balled her hands into fists for a moment before releasing them with a sigh. She looked so downcast and ready to cry and the Doctor felt lower than pond scum. None the less he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.

 

“I’m sorry.” Rose whimpered against his chest as her hands fisted in the fabric of his suit. “I didn’t know- I didn’t mean-”

 

The Doctor cut her off with a kiss to her forehead and rubbed her back. Resting his head against hers the Doctor held her gently.

 

“I know Rose, I’m not angry and Jack isn’t angry. I know he’ll be so happy to see you. Jack… he’s missed you like crazy and was so relieved when I told him that you were alive after Carney Wharf,” the Doctor assured her softly before looking back at the date. “In fact I had just seen him before you walked into the TARDIS.” He froze and swallowed thickly before forcing himself to ask, “I don’t suppose the future me told you what happened.”

 

The Doctor held his breath as Rose nodded against him. “Yeah you- he told me about the Master, that’s why he dropped me off right after he was dead. He didn’t think it would be wise for me to be around the Master once we knew that I could have Time Lord kids.”

 

The thought made the Doctor’s blood run cold and he pulled Rose to him tightly. A loud knocking on the door made the Doctor jump and turn back to the screen. He eased his grip on Rose, giving her arm a quick reassuring squeeze. Wiping away her tears, Rose took a deep breath and straightened up. She glanced back at the Doctor as she headed for the for while the Doctor adjusted the view. He looked up in time to see Rose opening the door.

 

“Rose wait Jack thinks-” Rose didn’t hear his warning in time and swung the door open to show herself to Captain Jack Harkness whose face paled at the sight of her.

 

“Rose?” Jack asked softly staring at her.

 

“Oh Jack,” Rose breathed before throwing her arms around the shocked man. The Doctor sighed and shook his head.

 

“Should have mentioned that earlier.” He shrugged and pulled on his overcoat to step outside where Rose and Jack were, “Oh well.”

 


	6. From a Future Point of View III

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Six: From a Future Point of View III

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

…………………..

 

In the year since Bad Wolf Bay the Tyler family had settled into life with each other in the alternate world which Rose still jokingly called Pete’s World. The bite in her voice had faded from those words as she focused more and more on trying to make things work. It was a bright sunny morning and the Tyler Manor was quite as the residents went about their early morning routines. Staff members cleaned up the house and prepared the breakfast as the Tyler family began to gather in the breakfast room.

 

Peter Tyler nodded approvingly as he scrolled though his e-mails on his phone and listened to his wife Jackie talk about the London gossip with one ear. One of the maids shook her head fondly at Mrs. Tyler’s attitude which had been a source of great curiosity ever since an alive Jackie Tyler had emerged along with their long lost daughter. Pete glanced up as his “daughter” Rose entered the room, carrying her infant brother Tony in her arms. Rose was speaking with the little boy in a warm voice and he had adoring brown eyes fixed on his sister as he tried to toy with her long hair. Jackie smiled widely and held out her arms for her baby. Rose returned the smile and handed Tony over gently before she helped her Mum out by opening up the high chair.

 

Taking her own seat Rose tucked into her own breakfast. Pete noticed that she appeared well rested and alert as she listened to her mother jump right back into her gossip run down. The two exchanged warm looks at Jackie’s rambling and little smiled. But then as Rose was raising a fork full of eggs to her mouth she sudden froze with wide eyes. Jackie gave her a worried look before she also straightened up in surprise leaving Pete confused.

 

Rose couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t move as she listened to the familiar whirling sound that she could faintly hear. Raising her eyes she looked across the table at her mother, who had paled and she exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. Pete looked confused and was tilting his head as it listening for some far off sound. That was all the confirmation that Rose needed. Dropping the fork, Rose leapt up and tore out of the house towards the noise. She wasn’t even aware of Jackie and Pete chasing after her as she ran into the garden in time to see the TARDIS fully materialize amongst the terraced roses next to the lilac bushes.

 

Everything around her stopped as the world fell away. Her fingers clutched at the warm pulsing TARDIS key still hanging around her neck. Shallow shaky breathes were all she could manage as Rose waited for either the door to open or to wake up. Her eyes moistened at both the thought of this being real or finding out it was only a dream. Jackie panted heavily next to her as she and Pete arrived.

 

“Oh Lord I should have known.” Jackie muttered to Pete as she kept her eyes fixed on Rose. “Impossible he said, like that man ever would have the decency to understand that word.”

 

Then the door rattled as someone handled it from the inside. Her breath caught in her throat as questions rushed through her head: had the Doctor regenerated, would he say anything about her love confession and how had he managed it. Rose tensed up and held her breath as the door swung open and then blinked in surprise when two brown haired kids stumbled out of it. They were both shaky on their feet and not even looking at her or her parents. Instead, the boy who had very familiar unruly brown locks tumbled to the leaf covered cool ground on his bum and leaned back on his hands. The girl gripped the corner of the TARDIS and closed her eyes like she was going to be sick.

 

“What a ride,” the boy groaned as he looked up at the sky. “Whoa!”

 

“Yeah no wonder Mummy said to hold on,” the brown haired girl said as she slowly lowered herself to the ground. “Tell me when everything stops spinning Alex.”

 

 

“Okay Abby,” the boy, Alex, told her with a small nod.

 

Then Alex blinked and then looked over to see the three people watching them. His wide brown eyes met Rose’s and an uncomfortable blend of emotions churned in Rose’s gut. This boy looks so much like the Doctor that a few terrible possibilities occurred to her. Then huge and familiar grin took over his face.

 

“Abby look Dad got it right,” he said triumphantly, gesturing towards Rose and her parents.

 

Abby managed to raise her face off the ground enough to look over at Rose, Jackie and Pete. She joined what Rose assumed had to be her brother in smiling and began to pull herself off the ground. Alex stood and held out a hand to his sister before they took a few steps forward so they were right in front of their three observers. Raising an eyebrow, Alex shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and his sister crossed her arms over her red hoodie as they stared at the adults.

 

It was Jackie who spoke first, “Oh that rat, he comes to see you and brings his kids with some tart!”

 

The two children blinked and Rose turned to hush her mother and hissed, “Mum not in front of the kids. That’s not fair.”

 

“Not fair?” Jackie sputtered with an look of indignation. “You’re okay with this?! Rose honey he’s had kids!” Wildly gesturing to them she ranted, “I mean it’s clear whose they are. They look just like him.”

 

“Everyone says that.” Abby confirmed with the nod and a small smile though she looked vaguely uncomfortable.

 

She had a pretty smile, Rose decided as she looked at the girl. Her brown hair was in messy pigtails and she had a few faint freckles scattered around her nose. For a moment Rose couldn’t help but wonder what their mother was like before a more or perhaps less rational part of her brain pointed that someone could have tried to clone the Doctor or something. Kneeling down next to the girl, Rose smiled at her and decided that she was going to be as pleasant as she could manage.

 

“Abby was it?” At the girl’s nod Rose asked gently, “Your Dad is the Doctor right.” Abby nodded and grinned, her tongue slipping between her teeth making Pete frown at the familiar mannerism of his daughter though Rose couldn’t see the expression. “Where is he?”

 

“Oh cleaning up the TARDIS, making sure she starts recharging for the trip home,” Abby explained with a soft look back at the TARDIS while Alex patted the box fondly. “he wanted to come out, but that has to be done straight away or it can cause permanent damage.”

 

Rose nodded and stood, looking back at the TARDIS. That made her feel a bit better knowing that he hadn’t gotten here and then regretted it. Sending out his kids to make her jealous or something so she didn’t want to see him.

 

“That makes sense,” Rose agreed with a nod. “Wouldn’t want anything to happen to her. Thanks.”

 

Rose began to take a step forward but was stopped by her mother’s firm hand on her arm, she turned to see her mother’s face set in grim determination. Jackie looked torn and sad, but her lips were set in that stubborn expression that Rose was all too familiar with.

 

“What are you doing Rose?” her mother asked sternly.

 

“I’m going inside to talk to the Doctor,” Rose replied in as even a voice as she could manage.

 

Jackie blinked in shock, clearly not believing what she was hearing.

 

“That may not be wise Rose.” Pete said gently, stepping up next to Jackie and trying to get his wife to release her death grip on Rose’s arm.

 

Turning to face her mother Rose forced a calm smile and said, “Mum think about it, he came all this way. There must be a reason.”

 

“He’s got kids Rose.” Jackie hissed glancing at the two children, who were sitting on the ground again watching the family like it was a show on the telly.

 

“Yeah Mum, he’s got kids.” Rose shrugged and glanced at them, “Maybe they were oh I don’t know cloned by someone trying to use Time Lords for something.”

 

“No but good theory,” an all too familiar and cherished voice said from right behind her. Rose froze at the sound of that voice for only a heartbeat before she spun around to find the Doctor stepping out of the TARDIS. “I’ll have to remember that one.” He shrugged and looked down at the twins who grinned up at him before he added, “But they were made the old fashioned fun human way.” He paused looking up slightly at Rose with a small smile. “Much more fun than how we did it on Gallifrey.” Looking back at his kids he said, “Go inside you two.”

 

“Oh Daddy!” Abby whined as she stood up and dusted off her jeans.

 

“It was just getting good,” Alex said in agreement with his sister.

 

The Doctor shook his head, trying not to laugh as he opened the door and let them slip past him. They both paused to look back at Rose with disappointed looks. Once the children were inside he shut the door and turned back towards them, only to feel Jackie Tyler’s hand connect with his face. He stumbled back against the TARDIS, his brown eyes widening fearfully.

 

“How dare you!” Jackie roared at the Doctor. Rose flinched and bit her lip as she watched unsure of what to say to bring her mother off the warpath. “How dare you show up here and flaunt those two in front of my broken hearted daughter. To think I thought I liked you and then you do this!”

 

The Doctor stepped back from Jackie and looked desperately at Rose for help. Her mother’s words teamed with her earlier almost teasing statement about the children made her chest feel too tight and she wasn’t sure what to do.

 

 

“It’s not what you think,” the Doctor insisted holding up his hands and trying to calm Jackie down. “It’s not. I swear Jackie!”

 

“Oh then you didn’t really show up with your kids with your mistress,” Jackie spat.

 

“Actually she’s my wife,” the Doctor said quickly only to have his eyes widen in alarm as Jackie took another swing at him. The Doctor threw his arms over his face as he jumped further from Jackie’s reach.

 

Rose opened her mouth to stop her mother as Pete stepped forward to grab her, but both froze when the TARDIS door opened once more and a voice called out, “Calm down Mum!”

 

Blinking Rose looked to the door of the TARDIS and a small squeaking sound escaped her at the sight of the person standing there. It was a woman who had longer hair tied back in a messy bun but who otherwise looked just like her from their brown eyes to their large lips. Jackie took a step back to lean on Pete for support as she blinked at the woman and then looked back and forth between the two Roses.

 

“Oh and Mum Alex and Abby are my kids.” She looked at Rose and added with a smile, “Your future kids.”

 


	7. Guess Who IV

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Seven: Guess Who IV

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

…………………

 

Captain Jack Harkness had been returning to the Hub when the tell-tale sounds of the TARDIS echoed through the center. Around him a few people looked around in mild curiosity for the source of the sound while a grin lit up his face. For a moment he just savored that long missed sound, grateful to be hearing it again, before he broke into a run towards the lift. He had a good hunch that the TARDIS would return to her old parking spot.

 

He reached the ship just as it materialized only a few meters from the lift, not quiet on top of it, but close enough that nobody seemed to notice her at all. It was a little disconcerting and he thought back to the Ninth Docotr and his comment about humans just walking past the unusual. He strode towards the TARDIS as his grin became a touch more nervous.

 

It had been almost a year since he had seen the Doctor after he left him in the aftermath of the Master’s takeover. Jack had wanted him to, but he’d been beginning to worry that he wouldn’t be seeing the Doctor ever again. Since then he had returned to Torchwood and even gotten Martha in to help them a few times once she passed her final exams. Jack reminded himself that the Doctor must just be fueling, there was probably nothing wrong.

 

He stopped right in front of the door, knocked hard on the seemingly wooden structure and prepared to wait for the Doctor or his latest companion to open the door. Suddenly the door was thrown open and blonde blur hit him, wrapping him in a hug. Jack laughed and wondered how the Doctor would react to a companion hug attacking him. Lowering his eyes he paled as he realized it was none other than Rose Tyler that was hugging him. His mind stopped before his time agent training took over. Had he accidently cross Rose’s time line? Was this a short time after Game Station when she thought he was dead? Or was this one of those time when the Doctor had dropped him off somewhere for 24 hours?

 

Thankfully the Doctor answered his question for him. The brown haired Doctor dressed in pinstripes stepped into the doorway with a pleased, but cautious smile on his face. Jack thought he might have detected a hint of jealously in his expression, but the Time Lord gave him a reassuring nod. Breathing out Jack felt the tension drain from his shoulders and his worry was replaced by amazement. But then Rose released him, stepping back with a confused look on her face. Reaching out Jack brushed some hair from her face and took her in with a disbelieving smile. She smiled in return, seeming to understand his confusion.

 

Then without warning, Jack then scooped Rose up in a bear hug and spun around in front of the TARDIS, holding her tightly. Laughter filled the air as the Doctor leaned against the TARDIS, smiling at the pair. Random words about how happy he was to see her escaped Jack without his notice as raw happiness bubbled up through him. Finally Jack calmed down enough to set Rose back on her feet and hold her arm softly as she looked very dizzy. Grinning at both Rose and the Doctor, Jack laughed off his confusion and shook his head.

 

“How Doctor?” Jack asked as he turned back to the Doctor, “What happened to the walls are closed? I was beyond grateful when you told me she was alive, but now to have brought her back?” Jack wrapped an arm around Rose’s shoulder and held his friend closely. “Best gift I’ve ever gotten and trust me I’ve gotten some good ones.”

 

“Careful Jack,” the Doctor warned with a stern look that was ruined by his own little smile. The Doctor’s eyes went to the happy Rose and his look softened. Rubbing his neck the Doctor stood and took Rose’s hand causing Jack to perk up with interest. Jack’s eyes darted between them, almost leering at them. “Well I overlooked a very strange possibility,” the Doctor informed Jack. He grinned and looked at Rose, tightening his grip on her hand, “Do you think we should tell him?”

 

Rose blinked but then grinned as well, looking back at Jack who was looking between them with a growing expression of realization. He looked ready to vibrate right out of his clothes, something the Doctor was fairly certain that the man was capable of.

 

“Oh I don’t know, I haven’t even told you about all of them yet,” Rose giggled as she looked up at Jack from her place under his arm.

 

“True maybe we should make him wait for the happy event itself so he finds out with the rest of the universe,” the Doctor suggested calmly.

 

“Which event would that be Doctor? The announcement or the happy day itself?” Rose asked with a teasing smile, slipping out from under Jack’s arm to stand closer to the Doctor.

 

Jack blinked at this and looked between the two of them. His eyes widened and a downright stupid happy smile appeared on his face.

 

“Rose are you pregnant?” Jack asked her, his eyes darting between them before his expression turned downright leery. “Oh you crazy kids finally got together.” He squealed, honest to god squealed before jumping forward to hug them both. “I knew you would! I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! Oh I wish good old Big Ears could see you now! I knew it!”

 

“Jack!” Rose laughed as she wrestled herself free and looked up at the grinning former Time Agent. “No I ‘m not pregnant.”

 

“Not yet,” the Doctor commented with a smirk as Jack let go of them.

 

“Oh not yet,” Jack repeated with interest looking between them. Rose couldn’t help the soft blush creeping up her cheeks and Jack beamed. “You’ve done the deed, I’m so proud of you,” Jack cheered, clapping his hands together. “But I know enough about time travel to recognize that there’s something hinky going on here,” he wraggled his eyebrows at them and added, “And probably not just in the bed.”

Rose tossed her hair and smiled letting her tongue slid in between her teeth. Jack’s heart jumped at the familiar sight and it almost hurt not to crush Rose in another hug. A glance at the Doctor told Jack that the Time Lord felt much the same way even as he watched Rose with an oh so soft look. It was the expression that Jack had seen on the Doctor’s face many times during his previous incarnation when he thought Rose wasn’t looking.

 

“Well it’s actually our future kids that will lower the walls,” Rose explained with a blush and she gave the Doctor a warm look.

 

“Future kids?” Jack repeated carefully as a smile spread over his face, watching the Doctor tug Rose against his side and wrap an arm around her waist. It was such a… domestic, in a relationship action that Jack’s jaw almost dropped. They nodded at his question and he grinned widely at them both. “Oh wow, early congrats! Look at you Rose Tyler, domesticating the Doctor!” That comment got him a dark look, but he didn’t care and just kept going, “I claim the title of godfather! I’ll be around for a long time for the kiddies! Plus I’m more than happy to destroy anyone who’d ever try to hurt your kids.” Before they could say anything to that, Jack jumped forward and hugged them both again. “I am happy for you,” he added in a softer voice. “Just in case that wasn’t clear.”

 

They stayed like that for some time. To Jack’s surprise the Doctor didn’t say anything about him feeling wrong and it was almost possible for Jack to believe that it was the old days. Rose sniffed softly against his shoulder and he brushed his fingers through her hair, knowing that they’d have to talk about Bad Wolf and his immortality. Kissing her forehead softly, Jack hoped that his joy at seeing her would reassure her that he wasn’t angry. Not everyone had someone who loved them so much that they couldn’t allow the idea of them not being alive.

 

“So is that what brings you here then?” Jack finally asked as he released the two, smiling when Rose took and kept holding his hand. “ Showing off Rose to me or something?”

 

The Doctor shook his head at the Captain but kept smiling. Jack felt that last little knot in his chest unwind at the Doctor’s calmness around him.

 

“Actually I would have gone for sooner but the TARDIS picked up something odd in the area,” the Doctor explained which also served as a small apology for not visiting sooner.

 

Jack nodded at both the explanation and the slight apology. He remembered all too well how temperamental the TARDIS could be about taking you where you wanted to go. Slipping on his business face, Jack turned very serious.

 

“The rift fractured a bit earlier today,” Jack told the Doctor. “I was out doing a visual check on the area. My team is working on it.”

 

Rose blinked at the two men and asked, “Your team?”

 

Raising his eyebrow again, Jack looked back at the Doctor with a questioning look.

 

“I haven’t told her yet but she’ll take it better than I did,” the Doctor assured Jack with a nod.

 

Jack nodded in return, hoping that the Doctor was right and turned back to Rose who had folded her arms across her chest. The problem with Rose trying to be intimidating was that Jack just found her adorable like that and could barely contain his smile.

 

“I work at Torchwood,” he told her in a softer voice. “Well I’m head of Torchwood 3 here in Cardiff, the only remaining office at least in this universe. We monitor the Rift and work to contain the weirdness to that comes through so it doesn’t harm Earth.”

 

“You’re being careful right,” Rose asked with a concerned look. “I mean really careful right Jack?”

 

“I’m not willing to make the kind of mistakes they made at Torchwood 1 and I’m not going to let innocent people get caught in the middle,” Jack told her firmly watching as she relaxed at his words. “I’m not saying we’ve never made mistakes, but we don’t go poking at things and don’t try to use the rift for our own benefit like Hartman wanted.”

 

“Okay, I trust you,” Rose told him with a smile making Jack feel taller and stronger. “So do I get to meet this team of yours Jack?” Rose asked with a titled of her head.

 

Having a loss for words Jack just blinked at Rose who smiled, “Come on Jack they’re your friends.” She grabbed his hand and added, “And I want to meet them.” She looked over her shoulder at the Doctor. “Have you met them Doctor?” Grinning at the worried look on Jack’s face the Doctor shook his head.

 

“Not yet Rose.” He stepped up next to Jack and smirked, “So Captain what do you say.”

 

“I’m guessing you’re going to embarrass me in any way you can.”

 

“Maybe.” Rose responded with an evil little giggle. “Let’s find out Jack.”

 

“I really did miss you Rose,” Jack assured her before his voice turned whiny, “I missed you and this is the thanks I get.”

 

“He used to visit you as a child,” the Doctor threw in with a smug smirk of his own.

  
“What?”

 

“Oh you are not one to talk Doctor,” Jack shot back with a frown. “Red bike when she was twelve!”

 

“I already knew about that,” Rose laughed tugging on Jack’s hand. “Come on Captain, you used to be more than happy to show off your moves.”

 

Jack sighed dramatically, but couldn’t help his smile as he tugged Rose by her hand towards the entry to Torchwood. Thousands of years old and she still turned him into a sap with that smile. At the least the Doctor had the same problem, that made him feel a bit better.

 

 


	8. From a Future Point of View IV

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Eight: From a Future Point of View IV

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

……………………..

 

The Doctor rubbed his red cheek automatically as the force of the slap sent him reeling for a moment. He’d been sort of expecting it, but Jackie had never slapped this version of him. She’d kissed this version, but best not to think about that. Grumbling under his breath, the Doctor stepped back from Jackie and watched as his wife stepped out of the TARDIS and closed the door behind her. She glanced his way with a blend of an apologetic and amused look. He knew it amused her far too much that the Oncoming Storm was so easily cowed by his mother-in-law. The Doctor just hoped that none of his enemies ever learned of this.

 

Rose, the older Rose, on her part was smiling at her family as they stared at her in shock. She could see her mother trying to process just what she was seeing and failing. Pete was glancing between her and her younger self with a growing look of compression, he was always the clever one she recalled fondly. After giving them a moment, she turned to look at her husband.

 

“Diana just woke up from her nap,” she informed the Doctor with a smirk. She gestured between the TARDIS and her family and added, “Take your pick.”

 

“Oh, your devil mother or my sweet baby girl. Hard choice,” the Doctor replied sarcastically. With that, he practically ran back into the TARDIS, away from the still stunned Jackie Tyler.

 

“How?” Jackie whimpered softly but Rose nodded in agreement with her sentiment, now unable to speak.

 

“Time travel can get rather complex,” the older Rose replied softly in a gentle voice. She lingered by the door for a moment before stepping up to Jackie and throwing her arms around her. Shaking slightly, the older Rose hugged her mother tightly with a few tears spilling out of her eyes.

 

The present Rose and Pete glanced at each other as Jackie nervously patted the older Rose on the back. Swallowing, Rose looked back at her older self, noticing the small difference between them even as she mind struggled to comprehend that fact that the Doctor had come for her and that apparently they had kids. Her elder-self seemed to regain control over herself before she made sense of what was happening.

 

The older Rose released Jackie, stepped back and took a deep breath. “Right sorry about that, it’s just I haven’t seen you since I left,” she explained with a slightly watery smile. “We couldn’t cross the void until the twins and James were old enough to help the Doctor. It’s been a bit of a wait for me to see you again.”

 

Getting only blank looks in return the older Rose nodded and chuckled softly before she said, “Right okay I remember this just gotta stick to the script.” She paused to compose herself before giving them a small smile. “One Time Lord can’t open a doorway between universe but three or four can; in this case one adult Time Lord and three little Time Lords.” She couldn’t help the huge smile that overtook her face as she watched the expressions on her younger self’s face. “When I was her age the Doctor showed up with my future self and my future kids to take me back to our home universe so now that I’ve become the future self I’ve come to take you back so you’ll someday become the future self.”

 

It was Rose who recovered first, feeling a blush coming over her cheeks at all the implications of what her elder-self was saying. She nodded slowly as she processed everything the other woman had said before glancing at her parents. Jackie and Pete were doing impressions of fishes next to her, gaping at the very idea of the complex situation they now found themselves in.

 

“So it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

 

“Basically yeah, everything you’ll do in the next twenty years will sort of lead to this.”

 

………………….

 

“So that man was grandpa and the woman is our grandmum?” Alex clarified with an unimpressed face as he watched his father check the TARDIS over. His arms were crossed over his chest and a small frown was fixed on his face.

 

“That’s right, Peter and Jackie Tyler.” Abby, who was sitting in the captain’s chair with her infant sister on her lap commented. She cooed softly as Diana and rocked the giggling infant who toyed with one of her braids. “Not what I expected.”

 

 

“Grandmum isn’t much like Mummy,” Alex observed with a shrug. “I thought they’d be more alike,” Abby added, grinned as his father visually shuddered.

 

“Be careful what you say, your Grandmum is a vicio....” The Doctor trailed off as he remembered that he was talking to his children and he doubted Jackie would be bad in front of her grandchildren. “Your Grandmum is a very unique person kids and your Grandad should have sainthood for being married to her,” the Doctor offered weakly only to get knowing looks from each of the twins.

 

Sometimes having children as clever and observant as him wasn’t a blessing even if it was brilliant to talk with them. Soft foot falls made the Doctor look to the hallway and he grinned as he saw his son James leading his little half asleep brother into the control room. Sammy yawned and stretched, but didn’t let go of the worn brown teddy bear that he was dragging beside him. The sight of the little boy never failed to melt the Doctor. His children when they were small had always inspired an almost crippling sense of love, awe at their existence and need to protect. As they got older and learned more about the world the need to protect faded a tiny bit and they became better at being irritating. Still the love never faded which was terrifying in its own right, but he wouldn’t have traded them for anything.

 

“Good nap Sammy?” The Doctor asked as he adjusted the final controls for the TARDIS to recharge. His little blond haired son nodded and clutched his teddy bear to his chest.

 

“Good cause we get to meet Grandmum soon.” Alex said, rocking on the balls of his feet in excitement and eagerness, making his father smile.

 

“Whenever Mum is done explaining this,” Abby pointed out to her brother.

 

“Patience Alexandershanete,” the Doctor told his eldest son firmly. “They’re only humans after all, this kind of time.... twist, yes let’s call it a time twist is pretty rare and unusual. It can take some time for them to wrap their heads around.”

 

“Time twist.” James commented, rolling the phrase around in his mouth. “Sounds better that time lines looping back upon themselves for the purpose of redirecting and maintaining future events, I suppose.”

 

“Can’t you just say ball of timey wimey stuff like Dad?” Alex asked his younger brother with a raised eyebrow only to get a small smirk in return.

 

………………..

 

Jackie Tyler slowly nodded and turned her eyes to the TARDIS, examining it carefully as if she was afraid it would bite or vanish. She wasn’t sure which one she’d prefer at that moment which was a bit startling. Pete Tyler smiled at his wife as he laid a hand on her shoulder, hoping to steady her a bit, and looked at the older version of his daughter.

 

“So you’re here to get yourself back to the Doctor so you can have kids so you can come here to get yourself,” Pete sought to confirm in as calm a voice as he could manage.

 

“I know it’s weird but it comes with traveling in time and space,” the older Rose replied carefully, nibbling at her bottom lip in nervousness.

 

“And being married to a Time Lord.” Rose commented shaking her head in shock as things started to settle in. “We really get married?” Her older-self beamed at her and nodded in confirmation. “Isn’t that a bit I don’t know domestic.”

 

“And having five kids isn’t,” The older Rose laughed as she beamed brightly. “Besides he loves breaking rules, even if they’re his own and he always says it doesn’t count if you’re in love.”

 

Jackie shook her head, trying to hide the smile on her face so she instead stepped up the TARDIS. She hestitated for a moment before she tapped her finger at the blue box to confirm it was really there.

 

“So I’ve got five grandkids in this box that I’ve never seen before?” Jackie asked in an awed and shocked voice. At the older Rose’s nod Jackie shrieked, “Then what are you waiting for, let me in there! I’m a grandmum!”


	9. Guess Who V

To the Past from the Future  
by Lumendea  
Chapter Nine: Guess Who V

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

AN: I’m on tumblr now at jmbriggsauthor.tumblr and my new website is authorjmbriggs.com where you can read both a short story and the first chapter of my book.  
………………..

Jack was nervous as the invisible lift lowered with them on it into the Hub. It was a feeling that he just couldn’t shake and felt distressed at even feeling. This wasn’t his sort of emotion after all, he loved causing others to be more than mildly disquieted with his confident and outgoing personality. Being nervous was something else for him. He kept adjusting his coat and glancing at Rose and the Doctor. Giggling Rose took Jack’s hand and he nearly jumped at the unexpected contact.

“Nervous?” she asked in a voice that made it clear she knew the answer to her question already.

“He’s acting like he’s introducing his parents,” the Doctor remarked with a far too amused look.

Rose laughed brightly at the Doctor’s remark and as much as Jack loved hearing the sound, he spoke up to defend himself.

“It’s just my team hasn’t heard much about my past until recently and well.... you two are a big part of that,” Jack managed to say as he fixed his gaze straight ahead. “They’re good people, but trust has been an issue sometimes in the past. We’ve got a good thing here and I don’t want to ruin it.”

“Don’t worry Jack we won’t embarrass you,” Rose said, giving Jack a smile and a kiss on the cheek.

“Much,” the Doctor added under his breath as the lift reached the bottom. 

“I’ll make him behave himself,” Rose promised Jack in a rushed whisper. “I worked at a Torchwood myself and know the importance of respect, no undermining.”

An attractive man in a pressed suit hurried up to the lift while Jack turned his eyes to meet his. 

“It’s alright Ianto,” Jack said quickly. “They’re with me.” 

Ianto Jones blinked in surprise at the two people with Jack on the lift, but Jack gave his lover a big smile to reassure him as they stepped off. There was a moment of confused tension, but Rose noted that the man seemed to trust Jack.

“Everyone is waiting,” Ianto told Jack in a collected and calm voice. “They couldn’t get sound on the cameras,” he explained with a slightly apologetic look.

Ianto’s eyes lingered on Rose and the Doctor trying to gauge them. Rose noted the slight curve in his neat coat and recognized that the man was armed. Of course Jack was too she reminded herself firmly. Jack seemed to recognize the tension, stepping forward to kiss Ianto quickly before motioning for them to follow him. Smiling at Ianto, Rose stepped off the lift and followed Jack.

They walked into a large domed room that was a touch chiller than Rose would have liked. It was pretty much identical to the Hub she’d visited twice on Torchwood business in the alternate Cardiff. There were a few computer stations and tables with random bits of alien tech scattered about on them. There were also three people who quickly jumped away from one of the computer screens with almost guilty expression.

One of the women with long brown hair and a face that was very familiar stepped towards Jack with a small teasing smile.

“Find anything Jack?” she asked him with a clear glance towards Rose and the Doctor.

“Yeah but not what I was expecting Gwen.” Jack shifted to let the Doctor and Rose join him with his team as Ianto joined the others across from them. “Find anything on the Rift Tosh?” 

The Asian woman blinked at the question as if she was surprised by the attention and nodded looking back at her computers. Rose tried to focus on her, but looked back towards Gwen before sharing a look with the Doctor.

“I’ve tracked the energy but it seems to have slowed back down, it seems to be shifting back to the earlier readings.” Jack nodded.

“We’ll keep an eye on it, I don’t want any surprises.”

“Speaking of surprises Jack,” the light haired man commented looking Rose over, “Who is this lovely woman?” Jack laughed as he saw a familiar look cross the Doctor face.

“This is an old friend of mine Rose Tyler and this is the Doctor.” He smirked, “And Owen before you go and do anything stupid they’re together and he’s not called the Oncoming Storm for nothing.”

“Do keep that in mind,” the Doctor agreed before he pointed to Gwen. “Tell me what is your name.”

“Gwen Cooper,” she replied with a glance towards Jack.

“Are you from an old Cardiff family?”

“ Yes, all the way back to the eighteen hundreds,” she told him with a slightly nervous chuckled.

The Doctor beamed and looked at Rose. “Ah, thought so. Spatial genetic multiplicity, it's a funny old world isn’t Rose.”

“In more than one way,” Rose agreed before stepping forward with a smile. “Sorry Gwen, you just look like someone that we met a long time ago. Bit startling really. I’m Rose Tyler, it’s nice to meet you.” Returning the smile, Gwen shook Rose’s hand.

“Nice to meet you as well, it’s interesting to know that Jack knows people outside of Torchwood,” Gwen informed Rose with a little teasing smile.

“Martha,” Jack reminded her. 

“She works as a doctor for UNIT and is a liason between us and them,” Gwen reminded him sternly. “She doesn’t count.”

Jack laughed at Gwen’s words, but shrugged helplessly in semi-agreement and then went into introductions.

“Rose Doctor, this is Owen Harper.” Owen the Doctor nodded at each other causing Jack and Rose to smile. “Toshiko Sato.” 

The Doctor and Rose both shook her hand but then the Doctor blinked and tilted his head making Tosh shift nervously. Rose glanced over at him wondering what was going on.

“Haven’t I met you somewhere before?” The Doctor asked with a put out look, he hated being confused. 

Tosh nodded her nerves beginning to wear off and she managed a weak little smile. Nodding, she quickly explained, “I think so I was the doctor working on the pig alien when you or rather,” Tosh shook her head and tried again, “Well according to our information you can change your appearance....”

“That was me.” The Doctor assured her with a nod as he finally placed her. “Good to see you again. Were you working for Torchwood back then?”

“Barely,” Tosh agreed with a soft laugh as he brushed some hair behind her ear. “Jack had recently recruited me and wanted one of his own people to take a look at the pig. Owen… wasn’t available that day.”

“Hung over,” Jack informed the Doctor with a pointed look at Owen who calmly shrugged. 

Jack then pointed to Ianto.

“And this is the wonderful Ianto Jones.” Ianto nodded politely but kept back from the Doctor who blinked in surprise. Jack considered this for a moment before nodding and smiling. “Alright then guys please keep working on those new Rift measurements.” 

Before they could say or ask anything more, Jack took Rose’s hand and gently tugged her towards a corridor. He led her and the Doctor up into his office, closing the door behind them. Jack sighed in relief as they were cut off from his team, but they kept watching from down below.

Owen spun slightly in his chair and toyed with pen as he watched them go. Then he shrugged and looked back at his computer. “There’s a story there to be certain.” 

Gwen nodded and forced a small smile before saying, “He may tell us when he’s ready.”

“The man is how old Gwen?!” Owen snarled back, “He doesn’t tell us much.” He tilted his head back to look at Ianto. “I take it he’s never mentioned them.” 

Ianto resumed his usual unemotional facade and replied, “I agree with Gwen, it is good to see Jack talking with other people and he’ll tell us more if he sees fit.”

“I can’t believe that’s the Doctor.” Tosh hissed pretending to be working on her machine as she watched them in the office.

“Who is the Doctor?” Gwen asked, sitting down near Tosh’s desk. “I’ve seen the name in a couple of files, but never really had time to look at anything.”

The other’s chuckled with Owen snorting loudly at the question. Thankfully Tosh cut him off and gave Gwen a little smile as she started to explain. “Well he’s an alien, very intelligent who travels in a Police Public Telephone Box except that it is really a time machine.” She motioned to where the phone box was shown on the screen. “I don’t really know that much about him but he always shows up right when things get bad. Torchwood files say that he worked for UNIT as their scientific adviser for a few years and is still pretty closely allied with them. According to the reports he was at Canary Wharf fighting the Daleks and Cybermen.” Tosh glanced over at Ianto’s retreating back. “Probably why Ianto was so stand offish. Not exactly pleasant memories after all.”

Gwen shrugged and looked back into Jack’s office, saying, “He seems nice enough to me. Certainly doesn’t strike me as an alien.” 

“Well that time I met him he looked completely different, northern accent, leather jacket and whole different face. But yeah, he was kind to me when I… well I had a bit of a scare that time.” Tosh shook her head in amazement, “I can’t imagine what that is like, changing your face. Changing your whole body and personality.” Looking at the office again Tosh smiled and shook her head, “Does raise a few questions about Jack doesn’t it. ”

 

“Yeah but he did say the ‘right kind of Doctor’, guess we know the right kind.” Tosh smiled a bit at that. “But who is this Rose Tyler?” 

“Not really sure, all the info Torchwood had on her was wiped out by the Bad Wolf virus years back, but I did find a reference to her name on the list of the dead from Canary Wharf.”

“So she’s a mystery then too,” Gwen said thoughtfully. “Legally dead and traveling with the Doctor.”

 

“Everyone in that room over there is a mystery to us mere mortals,” Owen called over to them with a smirk.


	10. From a Future Point of View V

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Ten: From a Future Point of View V

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

…………….

 

The TARDIS was just as she remembered it with all the good and bad that included as Jackie Tyler stumbled into it. The shock that was threatening to overwhelm her had parted just enough for her to focus on the idea of grandchildren and grab hold of that like a life preserver. Even if a small part of her rebellious mind was trying to remind her that those grandchildren were half alien, half of the Doctor and wasn’t that just terrifying. Rose could get into enough trouble on her own without mixing her genes with the universe’s biggest trouble maker. Well the biggest troublemaker in at least a couple of universes.

 

Jackie Tyler looked around the TARDIS control room carefully as both versions of her daughters stepped into the TARDIS behind her. The younger Rose ran her fingers over the rail and supports of the TARDIS carefully, still taking in deep breaths. Part of Jackie wondered if she needed to turn around and check on her daughter, but then she’d have to give up her little mission that was keeping her from turning into a burbling mess.

 

The older Rose was watching her younger self with a soft understanding smile, remembering the shock and relief of this meeting. She knew how difficult it had been trying to hold onto the memory of the TARDIS as her human memory began to fail. She remember cursing her lack of artistic ability and wishing that she had the skill to paint herself a picture or at least draw one. Mickey and Pete had been able to at least give her pictures from security feeds of the Doctor, but everything else had begun to fade away. It was a sad memory, but was past now.

 

Her younger self looked over her with watery eyes. She was pale and looked ready to fall over in shock. Offering her a smile, the older Rose nodded towards their mother. She raised a hand and began counting down with her fingers dropping one with each mouthed count. When she reached zero Jackie Tyler spun and looked at them.

 

“Well!? Where are my grandchildren!?” Jackie demanded in an almost hysterical voice.

 

Smiling at her mother, the older rose winked at her younger self who had covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Taking her mother’s hand, Rose lead Jackie deeper into the TARDIS towards the kids’ room. Her mother made small distressed noises, clearly at odd with being taken deeper into the strange box. She tightened her grip on the older Rose’s hand and the older Rose sighed at the contact with her mother. Despite her mother’s flaws, their occasional bouts and her happiness with the life she’d built in the TARDIS she had missed her mother.

 

The younger Rose watched them go as she tried to calm herself down. Turning back to the door Rose bit back a giggle as her father carefully entered the TARDIS and looked around it with interest. He examined the controls, walking around the console slowly before looking up at his daughter who was watching.

 

Giving his daughter a small smile Pete straightened up and asked, “How are you doing?”

 

“Honestly, I have no clue. This whole thing is so weird,” Rose replied, leaning against the railing. “I’d think it was a dream but it too weird for that.”

 

Pete nodded in understanding, walking over to take her hand gently in his own. For a moment neither of them said anything. They just focused on the contact and the bond they’d built. It hadn’t been the easiest thing for him to suddenly become a father of an adult girl even at the benefit of getting Jackie back, but he’d risen to the occasion.

 

“You’re going with them right?” Pete asked gently, studying her face.

 

“Yeah I mean I’ve got to otherwise it becomes a paradox.” Seeing the look on her dad’s face Rose also added, “And I want to, I want to see the Doctor or at least my Doctor, the one who hasn’t had kids with me yet.” Rose blushed now, feeling a very awkward topic and stumbled forward with her thoughts, “Oh God what if I have to tell him when I get back?” Pete chuckled making his daughter slap his arm gently. “It’s not funny Dad.” Pete smiled at her, pulling her up.

 

“Yes it is,” Pete informed her with a smile before he offered Rose his arm, “but how about I go meet my grandkids.”

 

…………………

 

Jackie Tyler had been torn the moment she reached the kids’ playroom, a central room that connected all their bedrooms together. Each door had a small hanging decoration with their shortened ‘human’ names on them. There were a few odd looking toys scattered in the playroom over a table that was secured to the floor and a few things that looked like they belonged in a laboratory and not in a child’s room. Looking frantically around at the five doors with names on them as kids poked their heads out of the rooms, Jackie had to struggle to keep breathing. The gravity of the situation and what it meant was settling on her. She wouldn’t be around to help Rose through her pregnancies, wouldn’t ever touch a baby bump and would miss so much when it came to these children. The idea made her tear up and Jacki hiccupped softly even as she tried to decide on a door. Then Sammy came into the main room first, pulling his teddy bear behind him. Jackie ahhed and dropped to her knees as he walked up to her.

 

“Are you my grandmother?” Sammy asked her with big soft eyes.

 

Jackie nodded gently, holding herself back from crushing the kid in a hug. Her hands were shaking even as she clenched them tightly, not wanting to frighten the boy by hugging him.

 

 

“Yes I am,” Jack managed to say. “What’s your name?”

 

Sammy gave her a big smile and hugged his bear in front of him, blinking his brown eyes at Jackie. For a moment she remembered Rose as a little toddler. She’d been a right disaster, stumbling into almost everything and using her big brown eyes to get her way. But she could see the Doctor in those eyes too, they were sharply intelligent and she had the feeling that the boy was taking measure of her.

 

“My name is Samatmaha,” he informed her calmly, making Jackie blink. “It’s my Gallifreyan name but most people call me Sammy, Mummy says that on Earth my name is Sam Tyler so I don’t attract too much attention.” He held up four fingers and added, “I’m four Earth years old, Mummy says that’s how she wants to track our age even through Daddy says I’m only two and a half in Gallifreyan years. Uncle Jack says I’m ten in Phitien years but Aunt Martha says I should go with Earth years so she knows when my birthday is. I like birthdays so I use Earth years my default measurement.”

 

Unable to contain herself anymore Jackie pulled Sammy into a hug which the little boy happily accepted. Sitting back on the floor, Jackie kept him in her lap wrapped in a loose hug as the others came over. Alex and Abby smiled at Jackie who gave them a little smile embarrassed about her first encounter with them.

 

Alex grinned and rocked on his feet, rather like his dad as he said, “I’m Alexandershanete or Alex, Abby and I are twins but I’m the oldest.”

 

“By two and a half minutes.” Abby remarked sharply to her brother though with a teasing smile. Her eyes were locked on her grandmother.

 

“Alex, Abby,” The older Rose warned them carefully making Jackie smile.

 

“Are you two a handful for your mummy?” Jackie asked in a teasing tone, already sure of the answer and the twins eagerly nodded with matching grins.

 

Jackie smiled and shifted Sammy to her right knee as she rocked the boy slowly. “So Abby what’s your Galli... your full name?” She asked, wanting to know everything and figuring that was the best place to get started.

 

“I’m Abigailexiratha or Abigail or Abby. All our names are partially based on Earth names so they can be shorted to Earth like names,” her granddaughter explained patiently with a small shrug. “We visit Earth a lot, Daddy likes to keep a close eye on Torchwood and UNIT. Says humans can create disasters if they are left alone too long.”

 

“Just like us.” Alex remarked with a smile, “Wanna see the fission reactor we’re building Grandmum.”

 

“Not right now,” the older Rose told her children fondly before looking down at Jackie. “We also visit Earth a lot for the sake of holidays and showing them their heritage.”

 

She didn’t say that they couldn’t show them the Doctor’s home planet. Even Jackie knew about that by this point and nodded her understanding. Then she turned back to the twin and started asking all the questions she could think of about their favorite things, eyes widening with every answer she received.

 

………….

 

Pete and Rose shifted through the TARDIS carefully looking around for the others, “Are we lost Rose?” Pete asked and Rose shook her head.

 

“Not yet but the TARDIS seems to be leading us in another direction,” Rose answered with a small shrug.

 

“That’s my fault sorry.” They turned to see the Doctor behind them, holding an infant in his arms. “Thought you might like to see the baby before Jackie get a hold of her,” the Doctor told Pete with a small smile.

 

Pete smiled and stepped forward to take the infant girl the Doctor offered him. Rose blinked in surprise as she watched the Doctor place the girl in her dad’s arms, it was unbelievably domestic. Catching her eye, the future Doctor smiled and stepped back to let her look down at her future daughter.

 

“What’s her name?” Rose asked without taking her eyes off the child.

 

“Dianarevertalana.” The Doctor answered with a proud smile on his face as Pete and Rose looked up at him. “All the kids have Gallifreyan names based on Earth ones so Dianarevertalana also goes by Diana.”

 

“That makes more sense.” Rose commented as the little brown eyed girl reached for her hair. “She has your eyes.”

 

The future Doctor smiled fondly at the scene before him. He nodded in agreement with Rose’s statement.

 

“Sam and James have your eyes,” the Doctor told her warmly. “The twins ended up with blue eyes form my previous form. That was a bit of a shocker. Normally the different form DNAs are kept completely separate, but I suppose it is still in the recessive mix.” He shook his head. “Oh well, they are all healthy little Time Lords and Ladies.”

 

Pete smiled down at his grandchild and said, “I’m just sorry we won’t be able to see them all as infants.”

 

“Yeah sorry about that but there was no other way then to wait for the twins and James to be able to help me fly the TARDIS here.” The Doctor blinked and looked around, “Speaking of James where is he? I could have sworn he followed me, seems to be a bit afraid of Grandmum.”

 


	11. Guess Who VI

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Eleven: Guess Who VI

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

AN: Thanks to everyone who has bought my first book. If you haven’t please take a look at The Iron Realm by J.M. Briggs on Amazon and if you buy it consider leaving a review. Thanks and enjoy.

 

……………..

 

The streets of Cardiff were silent as Martha Jones clutched her keys in her hand and looked around carefully. It wasn’t her habit to go out alone even after her time traveling with the Doctor. Walking alone in the darkness just tended to bring back memories that she knew were better left in the past. Still she could feel her mind relaxing at the steady sound of her footfalls on the pavement and the stillness of the world around her.

 

Frowning she glanced down at the gold and flashing key in her palm, the light of it from inside her jewelry box had woken her up. She’d considered going back to sleep, but had known that she’d never be able to until she investigated. Jack hadn’t answered his phone which was rare, but not unheard of for him. Thus she was on her way to the Hub to check things out. A nervous churn in her stomach made her feel weak, but she soldiered on.

 

The flashing key of the TARDIS worried her since she hadn’t seen the Doctor since the day she had said goodbye to him. That was a difficult memory too, but at least it had provided her with closure and she hoped it had done the same for him. She breathed out slowly and wondered again why she hadn’t just driven her car here. True it was only a few blocks down, but she felt a bit foolish as a burst of cold December air made her teeth chatter.

 

She finally entered the plaza and sighed in relief only to gasp. Only a few feet from the hidden lift to the Hub was the TARDIS. A soft laugh escaped her as she approached the TARDIS, glancing between it and the lift. Smiling, she figured that even if the Doctor was just refueling there was no way that Jack wouldn’t force him to visit. She slipped the TARDIS key back into the depths of her pocket and stepped on the lift. Activating it to descend into the Hub, Martha figured that if the Doctor was here she’d better check in at Torchwood. Just in case the world was about to end.

 

Martha was greeted by Ianto who seemed surprised but amused to see her. Offering a hand he helped her step off the lift with a small smile. Martha returned it, hoping that Ianto calm demeanor and surprise at seeing her was a sign that the end of the universe was not upon them. At least not right now.

 

“He’s in his office with the Doctor,” Ianto said gently in a knowing voice, he considered for a moment before adding. “And a young woman named Rose Tyler was with him. Jack is beside himself with glee, it is a little disturbing to be frank.”

 

Everything stopped for a moment for Martha Jones as she turned the words over in her mind. Exhaling softly, Martha closed her eyes for a moment to regain her focus. When she opened them she looked back at Ianto.

 

“Did you say Rose Tyler?” She asked, despite being quiet certain that he had.

 

Ianto nodded, raising an eyebrow at her shocked expression. Martha didn’t wait for an answer, his expression was confirmation enough and she began walking towards Jack’s office. Of course she had no idea what she was actually going to say.

 

“Jack came in with them only an hour or so ago Martha. I take it you know her as well,” Ianto commented, following Martha.

 

“No.” Martha recovered herself a moment later as she reached Tosh, Owen and Gwen. Gwen gave her a warm smile and Owen nodded to her in greeting even as she struggled to answer Ianto, “I mean I’ve never met her.” Shaking her head, Martha dropped her purse on Tosh’s desk, “The Doctor told me about her, a lot about her but she’s supposed to be in an alternate world.”

 

Martha leaned around Tosh’s desk to look into Jack’s office with a small frown. Rose Tyler was sitting next to the Doctor, his arm was wrapped tightly around her. Martha wasn’t prepared for the torment of emotions the sight caused: she felt the expected jealously, the anger and then to her great surprise she felt relief and a spark of happiness. She just hoped that this was real and not some cruel on the Doctor. The very idea threatened to enrage Martha and she debated storming inside and figuring out some way to confirm the woman’s identity.

 

A smile tugged at her lips as Rose turned to look out the windowed office right at her. The two stared at each other for a moment before Rose looked back to the Doctor beside her and asked him something. Looking out at Martha the Doctor nodded and smiled, a moment later Rose stood and exited the office. Martha could barely breathe for a moment as she realized that the woman was coming to talk with her. Gwen stepped out of her way as the blond approached Martha with a hesitant look.

 

 

Rose stopped just in front of Martha and bit her lips as if nervous; Martha bit back the strange urge to laugh. The woman in front of her was not what she had expected based on the stories. She had pictured Rose to be everything from an air head like Annalise to a gorgeous super genius but she wasn’t any of the things Martha had pictured. She looked like a normal person, maybe even a bit younger than her with slightly messy long blonde hair, large expressive brown eyes and large lips. Not what she’d expected at all and that was a relief that Martha could barely comprehend.

 

Slowly Rose smiled, seeming to understand what Martha was looking for and Martha saw it, she saw it in the spark in the girl’s eyes and her smile. Rose stepped forward with open hands and a hesitant, but hopeful look. Smiling in return, Martha stepped forward and welcomed the hug Rose stepped forward to give her a moment later.

 

“Thank you.” Martha blinked at the sound of the words and then realized that Rose had whispered them. “Thank you for being there for him Martha Jones, I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that.”

 

Martha nodded still holding onto Rose and whispered in return, “Thank you for coming back to him Rose Tyler.”

 

They parted a moment later and stared at each other, unsure of what to say for a long moment. But it wasn’t awkard like Martha would have expected, rather it made her feel calm and at ease. A last flicker of guilt over leaving the TARDIS vanished and she could breath much freer. Then Rose turned to look towards Jack’s office and Marta looked over to see the Doctor shifting nervously to the side. Jack stood behind him with a huge grin, enjoying all aspects of the scene. Then both Rose and Martha laughed at the sight of the Doctor’s nervousness. Rose grabbed Martha’s hand, pulling her back towards the lift.

 

“Come on!” Rose called to her as they jumped onto the lift.

 

Martha activated it with a childish laugh, suddenly feeling like she was sneaking out of the house at the age of thirteen. A raw giggle escaped her as they ascended and she heard Rose’s returning giggle. They rushed into to the TARDIS, both laughing at the odd comradely that seemed instinctive. Letting Martha step inside Rose grinned as the other woman looked around the TARDIS.

 

“Looks the same,” Martha observed after catching her breath. “Even smells the same, doesn’t it ever change.”

 

“It should,” Rose giggled with a wide grin and nod. “It’s only been about thirty hours since you said goodbye. That’s when I was dropped off, right outside your house actually.”

 

“Are you serious?!” Martha demanded, spinning to face the girl with wide disbelieving eyes.

 

Rose nodded and fell back into the captain’s chair with a soft exhaled. She swung her feet up onto the console, something Martha had seen the Doctor do, but had never dared to do herself. Rose seemed far more comfortable here than she ever had and Martha once again wondered just how long the young looking woman had actually traveled with the Doctor.

 

“Yep.” Rose frowned slightly, “Hey do you know if there’s any ice cream in the kitchen?”

 

“Don’t know, I can’t remember things like that after two years.”

 

“Two years?”

 

“Year that never happened.” Martha froze and then stumbled over her words, “He did tell you about that didn’t he.”

 

“Yeah.” Rose’s tongue slipped out between her teeth, “Or at least his future-self did.” Martha blinked and smiled as she processed what Rose had said.

 

“Sounds like you have some stories,” Martha said weakly with a chuckle.

 

Beaming in return Rose stood back up, setting her feet back on the grating with a soft thump.

 

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours,” Rose told her with a smile.

 

“Deal.”

 

……………….

 

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he paced inside Torchwood, listening to Tosh read off the new numbers to Jack but he couldn’t pull his mind away from Rose and Martha leaving in their mad dash. The Rift really should have been his priority, but he couldn’t help but wonder what they were up to. He had watched them on Torchwood’s screens run into the TARDIS and the memory of Rose and Sarah Jane together was making him really nervous. Jack glanced over at him and smirked before crossing his arms.

 

“So Doctor the Mrs and the ex. I bet they are having some interesting conversations,” Jack said gleefully before he frowned and asked, “You never kissed Martha did you?”

 

“What!?” The Doctor gaped at him, “No...” He flinched and then muttered, “Except when I met her, it was just genetic transfer.”

 

Jack held back his smile, trying to be serious as he said, “Right Doctor I’m sure that was it.”

 

“It was Jack.” Jack lost it and laughed happily as Tosh showed him the latest readings.

 

“Well hopefully Rose will believe that. At least the Rift is back to normal.” He glanced over at Gwen and Owen. “You guys can go home you know.”

 

 

“Oh it is much more interesting here.” Owen remarked putting his feet up onto his desk. Gwen smiled and nodded.

 

“He’s right, tonight or rather this morning has been very very insightful.” Gwen smiled at the Doctor. “It’s a refreshing change of pace.”

 

The Doctor gave her a small smile in return, “Nice to hear given that your charter isn’t exactly friendly towards me.”

 

“I told you things have changed.”

 

“Yes,” the Doctor conceded to Jack. “Yes you did.” He gave the Captain a smile before looking back at the surveillance screen. “What do you think they’re talking about?”

 

 


	12. From a Future Point of View VI

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Twelve: From a Future Point of View VI

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

…………………….

 

Rose bit her lip nervously as she walked down of the quiet TARDIS corridor with a hand sliding along the smooth coral like walls. She could barely focus, but was aware that the silence seemed strangely heavy and artificial. Not long ago the Doctor had led Pete to the playroom to see the other children and let Jackie see Diana. Rose had decided against lingering in the nursery where her mum and older-self had been talking.

 

It had just been weird hearing her future-self tell their mum about the kids. And it had felt wrong in a strange way, sure she knew a lot of big things about her future, but she wanted to be surprised by the little things about her kids’ first steps and favorite food. Thus she had slipped out of the room shorting after the Doctor did to go and look for James. She had no real idea of where she going as she vaguely wandered down the less familiar corridors. And she had no idea what to say or do once she found James.

 

The hum of the TARDIS grew stronger for a moment as she passed by ah ordinary light brown door. Rose hadn’t thought much of it as she’s approached it, but the sudden change in the pitch of the TARDIS caught her attention. With a tilt of her head Rose pulled the door open and looked inside only to gasp. Butterflies filled the room, making it seem as if the sky were alive. It took her a long moment to realize that the room was a large space with a sloping hill and artificial sky.

 

“Shut the door, they can’t leave the room,” someone called out to her, sending some of the butterflies fluttering away from the door.

 

Jumping at the voice Rose noted the small brown haired boy sitting on the grass like floor a few meters in front of her. He had the Doctor’s nose and was wearing jeans with a waistcoat over a t-shirt. It was the sort of odd wardrobe that looked good and assured Rose of exactly who she was talking to. She did as he suggested and shut the door behind her with a soft click before taking a few steps towards the boy.

 

“Your dad is a little concerned about where you’d gone off to,” Rose told him, trying to sound casual even as her heart raced at the fact she was talking to a boy who would be her own child someday in the future.

 

James smirked lightly at her, rolling his head back for a moment before he shook it with a smile. Patting the grass next to him, James nearly shrugged and said, “Dad knows that I won’t leave the TARDIS.” Rose nodded nervously, unsure of how to talk to her future child. “This must be weird for you.” James commented to her gently, “Having your reunion with a man who hasn’t missed you and then finding out so much about your future. I can see why this sort of thing isn’t done on common occurrences.”

 

Sitting down next to him, Rose laid back on the grass to look up at the butterflies. Smiling at this James followed suit, lying back next to her with his hands behind his head. For a moment neither of them said anything and Rose could feel her body relaxing as she watched the flashes of gold, blue, orange and purple above their heads. Some of the butterflies she recognized from Earth books, but others were far more exotic and she vaguely wondered where they’d come from.

 

“My mum likes this room, says it is relaxing,” James told her in a smooth voice that didn’t really disturb the calm. “She wishes Dad would come in here more.”

 

“Might do him some good,” Rose agreed with a small nod. “Would have especially helped his last body. Wish I’d known it was hear then.”

 

James turned his head to look at her with a curious and worried expression. He didn’t ask her anything for a long moment as he worried his bottom lip in a way that so similar to her own habit.

 

“Was he really so sad then?” James asked carefully. “I know about the Time War, bit and pieces anyway, but did it really hurt him so badly?”

 

Rose paused considering her words carefully.

 

“He was alone then James, he couldn’t see you children in his future,” she explained gently watching the boy’s face. “He didn’t know that he’d have a family again.” She chuckled softly and added in a lighter tone, “In fact the idea of families terrified him.”

 

James smiled softly to Rose as she turned to look at him, her brown eyes meeting the identical brown eyes of her son.

 

“He’d have done it for you,” James told her seriously with a look of absolute certainty. “Dad says sometimes that he loved from the moment he met you.”  


Rose blushed at the words, her heart skipping and flipping over itself in her chest. The idea that her first Doctor could have felt that way…. She was confident that he had, but for her current Doctor to say it was amazing to her. She couldn’t help but smile.

 

“It doesn’t matter now though,” Rose said as she tried to recover. “He has you now. He has his family in the TARDIS. He’s alright.”

 

James nodded and looked back up at the butterflies. Rose breathed out and forced herself to stop watching the boy, looking back at the flurry of colors above their heads. They were silent for a moment and then Rose looked over at him with a grin and asked, “So did you run off out of fear of your grandmother?”

 

Laughter answered her question as James titled his head back and released deep happy chuckles that reminded Rose so much of his father. His profile was his father’s, she realized with a smile even if some of his mannerisms were more like her own. Blimey this was weird.

 

“Not really but I figure let her get the shock and awe out of her system,” James informed Rose once he recovered from his laughter. “I’m not too good with lots of people or attention. From what I’ve heard grandmum is a bit… overwhelming.”

 

Nodding in understanding Rose let her eyes follow a bright red and yellow butterfly. They cleared off a bit letting Rose catch sight of the blue artificial sky overhead illuminated by sun lamps that warmed her skin.

 

“So James what is your Gallifreyan name?”

 

 

“Jamescartyerlev.” He answered simply looking up at a blue and violet butterfly intensely. Rose nodded and breathed in deeply unaware of James trying to look at her with a smile. “We do this a lot. I mean my Mum and me, she says she just likes to sit here watching beauty knowing that her family is close.”

 

A smile pulled at Rose’s lips and she said, “It does feel nice James.”

 

He smiled in return and nodded before agreeing, “Yeah it does.” He breathed deeply and exhaled before spotting the curious look on Rose’s face. “What?”

 

“Nothing,” Rose replied quickly, lowering her eyes, but only for a moment.

 

James raised an eyebrow at her and made a small hum noise before saying, “It’s something, your eyes say so.”

 

“Fine, how many hearts do you have?” Rose asked and James paused surprised by her question before he laughed softly. Rose sat up, crossing her arms. “It’s a relevant question young man.”

 

Nodding James sat up as well and nodded.

 

“Yeah I know sorry, it’s just not a question I expected,” James replied with a smile.  

 

Then the door behind them swung open, making them both jump in surprise. The Doctor stepped inside, his eyes sweeping over the flurry of butterflies before settling on them. A warm smile took over his face as he took them in.

 

“I should have known this is where you’d be hiding,” he observed lazily as he stepped into the room and closed the door carefully behind him.

 

“Not hiding Dad,” James countered as he turned to grin at his father. “It doesn’t count as hiding unless you really try to keep someone from finding you. I was where I always am.”

 

The Doctor smiled softly and crossed his arms before responding, “True but the best place to hide something is in plain sight.” He smiled down at his son as James stood up and joined him at the door. Looking back at Rose the Doctor sighed. “Rose I’m sorry but we can’t stay much longer. The TARDIS is recharged and can’t linger this time. In the future… well I promise we’ll be able to stay longer once I calibrate some adjustments.”

 

Rose nodded and stood getting a smile from James who stepped past his father to head for his room and grandparents. Her stomach churned at the realization that this was it. She was going to be leaving her mum, dad, Mickey and Tony to return to her own universe again. The idea wasn’t scary, but it was a little bit sad.

 

James paused and spoke, “Two by the way.” Blinking in confusion Rose looked over at him as the Doctor shut the door behind them. James looked over his shoulder back at her. “Hearts.”

 

The Doctor and Rose watched him vanish around the corner. A soft chuckled escaped Rose, but she managed to hold back the hysterical laughter bubbling in her chest. Everything was threatening to hit her at once. Blindly she reached out and grabbed the Doctor’s hand to ground herself. He accepted the gesture and squeezed her hand gently.

 

“He’s seven,” The Doctor remarked as if that explained everything.

 

“He’s good at it,” Rose replied with a grin and a knowing nod.

 

“At least he listens to you or at least he will listen to you.”

 

“Seems the twins have you wrapped around their fingers,” Rose observed making the Doctor blushed slightly and rub the back of his neck.

 

“Yeah well Abby is Daddy’s little girl and Alex is a lot like me.” He grinned and shook his head,

“They are all wonderful. I couldn’t love them more.” His eyes softened and he smiled at Rose.

“Thank you for them Rose.” Rose blinked in surprise as he softly brushed her lips with his. “Thank you for the second chance you’re about to give me.” Nodding Rose regained her senses and smiled.

 

“Isn’t that what family is for.”

 


	13. Guess Who VII

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Thirteen: Guess Who VII

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

……………

 

“Please tell me you’re joking!?” Martha Jones cried out, gasping for air between bouts of laughter and almost falling out of the armchair.

 

Across from her in a large armchair Rose Tyler shook her head to the negative making Martha laugh harder. The two former companions had retreated into one a small den area the TARDIS had provided for them and had proceeded to swap stories for the last few hours. The pleasant atmosphere of the small domed room with its comfy armchairs and plush rug made the two women feel right at home. Wiping away some tears Rose desperately tried to reign in her breathing though she couldn’t control her smile.

 

“No he seriously did, fought the commander in nothing but pajamas,” Rose assured Martha with a nostalgic smile. “He lost a hand though, frightened me something fierce, but it grew right back”

 

“Yeah Jack found it,” Martha told Rose, shaking her head. “Couldn’t believe the Doctor when he told me that he regrow his hand.”

 

“Jack found the Doctor’s hand?!” Rose asked with a somewhat horrified expression.

 

“He was carrying it around, using it like a Doctor detector,” Martha explained with a slight shudder of her own. “Carrying it around in a jar in his bag.”

 

A million emotions crossed Rose’s face but most of them clearly said that she was frightened by the idea. Martha more than understood that, remembering her own almost frantic reaction to the revelation of what Jack was carrying around in that backpack.

 

“I bet he didn’t want that back.”

 

“Actually he did,” Martha remarked and Rose raised an eyebrow. “The Master used it to age him...” Martha trailed off, not waiting to turn the fun conversation to such darker days. Rose gave her an understanding smile but bit her lip for a moment debating something with herself. ‘Uh anyway the Doctor took it back so his DNA wasn’t out there like that.”

 

“Thank you.” It was Martha’s turn to blink, “I can understand how hard traveling with him was on you, the Doctor may be easy on the eyes but he’s hard on the heart.” Pausing Rose collected her thoughts before she continued, “But thank you for being with him. He needed someone and I’m pretty glad it was you.”

 

“Pretty glad?” Rose threw her new friend a teasing smile,

 

“Well I’m not too happy about that snog,” Rose admitted with a shrug and a small smirk.

 

“It was genetic transfer!” Martha protested, fighting back a blush.

 

“And I’m sure that is what you were thinking at the time Martha Jones!” Rose ducked to avoid the flying pillow aimed at her as they laughed.

 

……………..

 

 

The Doctor pushed his glasses up his nose as he stared at the reading in front of him. All signs of abnormal rift activity had vanished but the concern in the back of his head hadn’t. Something had set the Rift off and Jack had assured him that his team hadn’t been poking at it. He didn’t know them, but Jack did and was inclined to trust them so the Doctor was prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

Behind him Jack was talking quietly with his team, they were a strange group but the Doctor could see the odd family they provided the former Time Agent. That brief thought made him smile as he wondered about the future children Rose hadn’t told him about yet, he pouted to himself at the unfairness of the situation. He was supposed to be enjoying a reunion with Rose but instead he was checking on Torchwood and Rose was sharing blackmail material with his last companion. He just hoped Rose didn’t mention Sarah Jane to Martha, knowing Miss Jones she’d track down Sarah Jane and start some kind of “former assistant meeting group”. That thought made him shudder so much that Jack noticed.

 

Smirking Jack leaned against the desk and glanced at the readings, “Nothing is wrong with the rift which means you are worried about the girls,” he observed with a smirk. “Someone might think that you didn’t trust them or that you were scared about what they might share.” Jack teased and in response the Doctor raised his eyebrow in what he hoped was a calm expression but Jack wasn’t fooled. “Maybe I should go join them, former companion meeting.”

 

Eyes darkening the Doctor stood and pulled off his glasses. He looked at Jack pointedly, but the man seemed completely unbothered by his response. Instead he grinned at the Doctor with his arms crossed over his chest and a flirty smile. Not wanting to hear what more Jack had to say on the subject the Doctor decided that it was time to a tactical retreat.

 

“The rift has returned to normal activity Jack,” the Doctor informed the dark haired man with a neutral expression. “If it starts up again Martha know how to contact me,” he added as a mild promise to come and help.

 

“So do I,” Jack called out behind him.

 

Spinning on his chucks the Doctor looked back at Jack who grinned and said, “I know the number of Rose’s super phone and I’ll bet she answers it.” Jack smirked and tilted his head with a teasing look in his eyes. “Especially for me.”

 

The Doctor thought he was very nice when he gave Jack a mild little salute, turned on his heel and headed for the lift. If Jack was chuckling behind him and he felt that old familiar spark of jealous he ignored it, reminding himself that Rose had come back to him.

 

………………….

 

Martha had stopped her attack on Rose after they managed to almost destroy the room in a pillow fight. Bits of feathers were scattered about the room and the two chairs were showing signs of being beaten out of shape. Both had collapsed back into their chairs giggling madly, neither had indulged in such trivial pleasures in such a long time. Silence ruled for a few minutes as Martha stared up at the coral colored ceiling.

 

“So how did he get you back into this universe?” Martha asked finally. “I thought the walls had closed.”

 

“He didn’t bring me back, well not the Doctor you know,” Rose said, stumbling over the explanation. “It’s a bit complicated.

 

Sitting up so she could see Rose, Martha grinned and raised and eyebrow as she said, “Go on.”

 

“It still seems like a crazy dream but okay,” Rose agreed with giggle as she sat up straighter in her chair, tucking her legs under her. “It was a completely normal day, I was at home with my family when I heard the TARDIS so I go rushing out of the house to find it. These two kids fall out of the TARDIS, cutest things but talking about their Dad. My mum is going completely mad, figuring that Doctor has returned with kids.”

 

“He didn’t,” Martha gasped, her jaw going slack.

 

Rose grinned and shook her head, “Not exactly see it turns out it was him from the future and the kids helped him open a doorway to the universe I was trapped in.” Rose’s tongue slipped between her teeth as she smiled, “And the kids are mine with the Doctor in just a few years so I’m brought back here by my own future self so I can fulfill the future.”

 

Martha blinked at her in utter shock before managing to ask, “You’re joking.”

 

“I’m not.”

 

“Wow that’s just wow,” Martha said as she fell back against the cushions again. “Wow.”

 

Falling silent Rose nodded and bit her lip nervously. Finally she said, “I’m sorry.”

 

Pushing herself up Martha gave Rose a soft smile.

 

“Sorry for what.” Martha asked with a neutral expression.

 

“I mean I just show back up here after everything that happened-”

 

Martha held up her hand quickly and shook her head.

 

“Rose just stop there.” Rose obeyed giving Martha moment to straighten herself up and looked at her. “I’m not angry, when I left over a year ago to me I knew where I stood with the Doctor.” Martha sighed, “I loved him yeah, I loved the idea of him but looking back I know that there were still these huge pieces he was never going to let me see. Jack’s told me about regeneration and what he was like when you first met him.” Martha forced a small smile and shook her head.

“That’s when I really got it. He talked about you all the time, he missed you. Maybe if I was the person who helped him and traveled with him right after the Time War....” Martha trailed off and shook her head giving Rose a soft smile. “Look I’m happy for him, after everything he has done for everyone I’m glad he’s happy and I’m happy too.” Rose smiled and moved across to Martha, hugging the other woman tightly.

 


	14. From a Future Point of View VII

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Fourteen: From a Future Point of View VII

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

…………………..

 

The time flew by as Rose Tyler packed up a small luggage bag. It was strange and sad to realize just how little she had settled into life here. Most of what she had Pete had bought her and she didn’t really care about it. A few pieces of clothing she was fond of went into the bag, a locket with photos of her family and the Doctor they’d recovered from a mobile phone was around her neck and a book by Charles Dickens that hadn’t existed in her world. She planned to keep that as a surprise for him.

 

Looking around her room, Rose sighed and shook her head at herself. She wondered how long it would have taken her to accept the idea that she wasn’t ever going to see him again. By the look of things, the fact that this room still looked like a guest room she hadn’t been anywhere close even after a year and gaining a little brother. Taking her bag downstairs, Rose raided the family supply of pictures of Tony, taking all the duplicates that she could find. There were photos of the family in the garden, at the beach, having a picnic and a beautiful one of her Mum and Pete’s ‘vow renewal’.

 

She listened to the voices of her Mum and Pete outside by the TARDIS and zipped up her bag with a determined deep breath. It would be awhile, she reminded herself, but she would see them again. Straightening her shoulders Rose walked outside to join them, setting her bag down next to the TARDIS door for the Doctor to collect.

 

“You called Mickey,” her mother asked with watery eyes.

 

“Yeah,” Rose replied with a tight throat. “He understands.”  
  
Jackie surged forward to hug her tightly and Rose felt tear prick at her eyes. She told herself again that she’d be back in a few years. Breathing in the smell of her mother, Rose let a small sob escape her. This was what she wanted, what she’d always wanted, but it was still difficult.

  
“I love you,” she whispered to her Mum before releasing her and moving over to Pete.

 

The man wrapped her up in a tight hug and Rose smiled thinking on how far they’d come. She hugged in return, whispering that she loved him, was grateful for all he’d done and wished him the best with Jackie and Tony. It was getting harder not to cry. Pete whispered that he’d take care of any paperwork that came up and Rose muttered a soft thank you.

 

She stumbled back from them, kissed Tony softly on the forehead and retrieved her bag. The TARDIS door was open and waiting for her and with a deep breath Rose stepped inside. She set the bag down once again and turned to watch her future self and her family.

 

The older Rose Tyler was hugging Jackie Tyler tightly while the Doctor and James looked on from the controls of the TARDIS. Rose stepped to the side so she wasn’t blocking the view of the assorted Time Lords. Tears ran down the cheeks of bother women, but the older Rose was smiling and looking at her mother fondly.

 

“Mum now we can visit you all the time,” the older Rose assured Jackie. “The kids will have the chance to spend time with their uncle. You’ll see us soon I promise.”

 

The Doctor pulled a face at that statement but Jackie ignored him, keeping her focus on Rose.

 

“You’re really happy?” Rose watched her older-self nod in response to her mother’s question.

 

“Oh god yes mum! You can’t even imagine,” the older Rose said happily with a bright smile.

 

Jackie nodded after another moment and hugged her again tightly. Rose swallowed as she watched her future-self rub her mother’s back until Jackie managed to let go of her again.

 

“Bring my grandchildren back to visit,” Jackie reminded her urgently. She looked over at James who remained near his father and almost whimpered, “I barely got any time with them.”

 

Leaning back into the chair the Doctor gently explained, “We can stay longer next time maybe even a couple of days, but it isn’t wise to keep two forms of Rose in the same point in space for a long period of time. Things start to go weird, even with Time Lords present.”

 

“Don’t worry Grandmum we’ll come back soon,” Alex told Jackie gently making everyone smile.

 

Nodding Jackie walked up to her daughter, brushing some hair out of Rose’s face.

 

“This is something my mother never gave me advice for.”

 

Half laughing, half sobbing Rose threw her arms around her mother and held on tightly.

 

“I’ll be back mum, I’ll come back as soon as the kids are grown,” the older Rose assured her mother gently from behind them. “And I’ll be alright until then, I promise that the Doctor and I will look after each other.”

 

Jackie nodded and tightened her fingers in Rose’s hair as she softly said, “I love you Rose.”

 

“I love you too.” Rose pulled away gently and looked over at Pete. He smiled softly and opened his arms for her which she happily stepped into. “I love you Daddy.”

 

“Take care Rose. I love you too.” Pete looked over at the Doctor and nodded as he released his daughter, the Doctor returned the gesture before turning to the controls.

 

“Jackie, Pete I’m sorry but our time limit is almost here.” He paused for a moment, “Unless you are interested in seeing the effects of two non-time lords coming into contact in the same point in space. Had that happen in my fifth life, not very pleasant. Interesting but not pleasant.”

 

“Don’t you ever shut it!?” Jackie hissed causing both Roses to laugh and the Doctor to sigh.

 

“I didn’t enjoy the last few years without you nearly enough Jackie to take this torture from you.”

 

 

“I’m your mother-in-law Doctor and since you’ll be seeing me more now get used to it.”

 

Rose hugged Jackie one more time and whispered, “You’d better go Mum.”

 

Biting her lip Jackie nodded and let Pete take her hand and lead her away from the TARDIS. Slowly Rose closed the door of the TARDIS, suddenly finding it very hard to breath. The familiar smell of the TARDIS reassured her, but Rose couldn’t keep her hands from shaking a little bit. Turning around she saw the Doctor turn on the monitor to let both Roses see their parents moving further into the garden. They were still watching the TARDIS and Jackie had a few tears running down her cheeks as she held Tony against her protectively.

 

Looking over to her younger self Rose released a deep sigh that Rose couldn’t help but sympathize with. Then her older-self gave Rose a wide smile and chuckled softly before looking around the room at the children. Picking up Diana from the floor she also took Sammy’s hand and led them to the corridor that went deeper into the TARDIS.

 

“Good luck,” the older Rose called her pleasantly.

“Where are you going?” Rose asked suddenly as the Doctor began pushing buttons and calling over Alex, Abby and James. “Aren’t you staying for this.”

 

“It’s a rough ride Rose,” her older self said with a smirk, “I’m not having Sammy and Diana banged about. We have a nice room for the younger passengers to stay in.”

 

Ten minutes later Rose knew exactly what her older-self had meant as she gripped a rail tightly, trying not to think about the lunch she had recently eaten. Every regular jarring move of the TARDIS seemed magnified by about one hundred. Her neck was getting sore form the g-forces pressing down on them as they hurtled through the gap between universe. Taking a deep breath Rose opened her eyes and watched the glow around the TARDIS controls begin to fade as James, Alex and Abby removed their hands. The twisting of the TARDIS turned into a slow gentle rocking as it set down. Rose let out an almost pained sigh of relief and pried her hands off the railing. She had sunk onto the floor without even realizing it.

 

“We’re here,” the Doctor announced with grin. Walking over to Rose he offered her his hand, pulling her up from the floor. “Alright?”

 

“Fine,” She assured him with a nod and looked over at the kids who were looking on with open interest.

 

The Doctor smiled at them and said, “I’ll be back soon. Stay in the TARDIS or you’ll cause a paradox.”

 

Alarmed Rose gasped but the Doctor winked at her, pulling on his coat and removing a small amulet of sorts from his pocket. Putting it over his head it tapped the simple golden circle and nodded before opening the door. Rose stepped out into a nice clean neighborhood full of brick houses with high fences.

 

“Are we in London?” Rose asked tentatively as she looked up at the zeppelin free sky.

 

“My past self is dropping off Martha Jones. This,” He fingered the amulet he had put one, “Keeps me from sensing me and the TARDIS will hide the kids.” Rose looked over at him and he held up his hand, glancing at his watch. “I have a lot to tell you Rose and not a lot of time so please just listen to me.”

 

A mere twenty minutes later, looking over her shoulder Rose smiled when the Doctor, leaning against a lamp post, grinned at her. She knew that his TARDIS was right around the corner out of view and as she turned her head forward she could see the TARDIS not too far ahead of her. A moment later an attractive woman that she guessed to be Martha Jones stepped out and sighed before crossing the street to a house. Glancing back at the Doctor she smiled when he nodded to her. Taking a deep breath Rose walked up to the TARDIS, pulled out her key and opened the door to the future.


	15. Time

To the Past from the Future

by Lumendea

Chapter Fifteen: Time

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who and gain nothing from the creation of this story

 

……………….

 

“People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff.”

 

He had said that once to a young girl named Sally Sparrow when trying to help her understand how something that looked impossible could in fact be the truth. At the time he had in fact been reading from a script of what he needed to say in order to gain her assistance but that was another story entirely. In that story Sally Sparrow had been the center of an ontological paradox, today Rose Tyler was the center of another. One that was much more important and personal to the Doctor because it meant his family. Course she had been the center of an ontological paradox before as Bad Wolf and all that all those years ago. That little time loop is what guaranteed them at least a few years together with a family.

 

Time the Doctor decided was indeed a complex thing; he looked over at Rose Marion Tyler who sat in the captain’s chair flipping through a magazine, a beautiful complex thing. It twisted and turned back against itself, moments surrounded by moments forming links and chains that bound certain things and people together. And he was oh so grateful it was a great big ball of stuff that could be molded to make a few things turn out just right.

**Author's Note:**

> My first book is now available on amazon. If you like my stuff please go and take a look at The Iron Realm by J.M. Briggs!


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